Find your people, wherever you are.
Smileys brings people together through curated events, interest-based clubs, and communities designed to make every city feel a little more like home.
- Vetted members across all cities
- 1,600+
- events since our first in 2023
- 1,000+
- Active clubs across all cities
- 150+
Our story
Moving to a new city is exciting. Finding your people is the hard part.
Our founder knows this firsthand. He spent 20 years in New York City, building a life far from home.
In the days after September 11, being far from home suddenly felt very different. New York was grieving, tense, and for many immigrants, lonelier than ever. He felt that Turkish New Yorkers needed each other more than they ever had. So he started NYCTurk, a community to bring them together.
What began as a response to a difficult moment grew into something lasting. For 15 years, thousands of people came to NYCTurk events. They met friends, celebrated culture, and found belonging in a city that can feel enormous and anonymous.
Fifteen years of hosting taught him one thing:
People don’t need more ways to connect. They need better opportunities to connect in real life.
Smileys is the next chapter.
A new city, the same question
We started in Istanbul with a simple question: how do you make a new city feel like home?
Istanbul is vibrant, international, and full of people from everywhere. Yet real friendship is still hard to find. Big meetup groups feel impersonal. Dating apps aren’t built for friendship. Networking events are about business cards, not people.
So we built Smileys: a real-life social community designed around genuine connection. Not an app where you swipe through strangers, but a place where people actually meet. Our events are hosted, the venues are chosen with care, the groups are balanced, and it always feels natural to walk in alone.
The goal was never one great night. The people you meet become familiar faces. Familiar faces become friends. Friends become your community. And a city that felt unfamiliar starts to feel like home.
Why “Smileys”?
Because that’s what connection looks like. Walk into any of our events and you’ll see it: a room full of people smiling, talking, meeting someone new. We named the community after the thing we’re actually building.
What makes Smileys different?
Not another meetup. Not another app.
Curated people
We review every application because the people in the room matter as much as the event itself.
Hosted experiences
You don't have to arrive knowing anyone. Our hosts make introductions and help the room come alive.
Designed for friendship
We're not optimizing for matches, followers, or business cards. We're creating opportunities for genuine friendships.
Community beyond events
Events are where you meet. Clubs, hangouts and recurring activities are where friendships grow.
Our community
Locals, expats, students, founders, people three weeks in and people born here — from dozens of countries, curious about each other. Events are where you meet them; our clubs, hangouts and recurring tables are where the friendships grow.
How it works
Membership is application-based. Not to be exclusive — but to make sure the community stays the kind of place everyone actually wants to be in.
- 01
Apply
Tell us about yourself, what draws you to your city, and what you're looking for in a community. Applications take about 5 minutes.
- 02
Get vetted
Our team reviews every application personally — looking for vibe alignment, not credentials. Expect a response within 24–48 hours.
- 03
Join the community
Once approved, browse upcoming events, join clubs that match your interests, and meet people who are actually excited to be there.
From one city to everywhere
Smileys started in Istanbul, but it was never meant to stay in one city. We’re expanding to new cities with one ambition: a global community where you can find your people wherever you are in the world.
Whether you just moved, you’re traveling, studying, working abroad, or you’re a local who wants to meet people beyond your circle, Smileys is where you start.
Belonging shouldn’t depend on where you were born, who you already know, or how long you’ve lived somewhere. Everyone deserves a place where they can walk in, feel welcome, and find their people.
We’re not just helping people meet. We’re helping people find their people.
😊 Ready to find your people?
Join a community of people who came from all over the world and found their people here.