Erdem Akan was born in Istanbul in 1973. He continued his education in Istanbul until he graduated from Boğaziçi University Mechanical Engineering. A British Council scholarship and his desire to create earned him a Master’s degree in Industrial Design at Salford University in the UK. He completed his education in design with the Design Culture and Management program at Bilgi University. From 1996 to 2001, he worked for Ford Motor Company in various projects and assignments in Istanbul, Dunton (UK) and Dearborn (USA) design studios. Between 2001-2004, he worked as Design Manager at Gaia & Gino brand. Between 2004-2012, he initiated the maybe project and provided interdisciplinary design and consultancy services in Istanbul and Vienna. Between 2014 and 2024, he was the design director of VitrA Bathroom, VitrA Tile, Artema, Intema Kitchen and Villeroy&Boch Tile brands in Eczacıbaşı Building Products Group. Akan gives trainings, workshops and seminars at universities in Turkey and abroad and organizes design exhibitions in galleries to promote and develop Turkish design. Erdem’s designs have been featured in publications such as Wallpaper, New York Times Style Magazine, Interni, Elle Décor and I.D. and in 2012 he was named Designer of the Year by Elle Décor.