The schedule for TEKNOFEST, the eagerly awaited domestic and national technology festival, has been announced. As part of TEKNOFEST 2026, which will take place from September 30 to October 4, 61 competitions will be held across 13 provinces. YTU has secured its place at the festival, which is set to break a new record with 730,000 teams and 1.6 million participants. Our students and faculty members, who competed in the finals with 177 teams in 2025 and earned 27 awards, will once again be on the field. 

TEKNOFEST, the world’s largest aviation, space, and technology festival, is gearing up to set new records in 2026. Organized under the leadership of the Ministry of Industry and Technology of the Republic of Turkey and the Turkey Technology Team Foundation (T3 Foundation), TEKNOFEST 2026will feature 61 competitions across 13 provinces: Şanlıurfa, Diyarbakır, Şırnak, Gaziantep, Siirt, Batman, Adıyaman, Mardin, Aksaray, Eskişehir, Kocaeli, Ankara, and Istanbul.

TEKNOFEST Southeast Sets New Record for Participants

TEKNOFEST Southeast will take place at Şanlıurfa GAP Airport from September 30 to October 4, 2026. The event is scheduled to feature technology competitions in 54 different categories, with participants from 81 provinces and 97 countries competing in the final round. TEKNOFEST 2026 has also set a new record for the number of participants. This year, 1.6 million participants and 730,000 teams applied for the competitions.

52 main competitions, 127 subcategories

The scope of competitions at TEKNOFEST 2026 has been expanded. Projects were accepted in 52 different main competitions and 127 subcategories as part of the festival. In addition to popular categories such as Rockets, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare, and Iron Dome Air Defense Systems, competitions will also be held in strategic fields such as agricultural technologies and secure satellite communications.

Among the categories added to the competition calendar for the first time in 2026 are the Electronic Warfare Competition, the Advanced Autonomous Systems Design and Operations Competition, the TEKNOFEST Mining Technologies Competition, the FPV Drone Tracking (Tracking) Competition, and the Technologies for the Benefit of Humanity Competition. The new categories aim to encourage young people to develop solutions for current technological needs and specialize in various fields.

175 Million TL in Support at TEKNOFEST 2026

TEKNOFEST is also increasing the support it offers to competitors to encourage the transformation of ideas into projects and projects into startups. In 2026, competitors will receive over 75 million TL in cash prizes and over 100 million TL in material support.

Through competitions spanning a wide range of fields—from unmanned underwater systems to agricultural technologies, advanced robotic systems to satellite technologies, and from 5G to artificial intelligence—the goal is to increase young people’s participation in technology development processes and contribute to the cultivation of the qualified workforce Turkey needs.

TEKNOFEST Blue Homeland 

TEKNOFEST Mavi Vatan, which focuses on maritime and underwater technologies, is also included in the TEKNOFEST 2026 calendar. Organized as a reflection of the National Technology Initiative vision in the maritime domain, the event will take place at the Gölcük Naval Shipyard Command from August 20–23, 2026.

Held for the first time last year in Istanbul, TEKNOFEST Mavi Vatan attracted significant interest with its domestically produced naval vessels, underwater technologies, competitions, and various other activities. It is expected to bring together technology enthusiasts around maritime and defense technologies again in 2026.

Technology and History Will Meet in Şanlıurfa

The main event of TEKNOFEST 2026 will take place at Şanlıurfa GAP Airport from September 30 to October 4. Şanlıurfa, renowned for its millennia-old history and cultural heritage, will serve as a hub for science, technology, and innovation during the festival.

In addition to cutting-edge technology competitions, the festival grounds will feature performances by the Turkish Stars and SOLOTÜRK, planetarium shows, simulation areas, science workshops, exhibitions, entrepreneurship presentations, and stage events for visitors to enjoy.

Star Teams Are Preparing for TEKNOFEST Şanlıurfa

Yıldız Technical University aims to contribute to the National Technology Initiative with innovative projects developed by its students at TEKNOFEST 2026 as well. The festival, to be held in Şanlıurfa, will offer YTÜ students the opportunity not only to showcase their projects on a national scale but also to connect with students from other universities, institutions, and stakeholders in the technology ecosystem.

As YTÜ, we invite our students and faculty to take their work in science and technology to the next level at TEKNOFEST 2026, to contribute to the technologies of the future through their projects, and to be a part of this technology gathering in Şanlıurfa. 

TEKNOFEST 2026 aims to contribute to the new achievements of Yıldız students and to Turkey’s journey in technology.

Yıldız Technical University, a key partner in the National Technology Initiative, is preparing to participate in TEKNOFEST 2026 with its students and faculty members. In 2025, YTÜ achieved one of its greatest successes to date with its performance at TEKNOFEST. 

YTÜ Students Made Their Mark at TEKNOFEST in 2025

Submitting 444 project applications in 2025, YTÜ qualified 177 teams to compete in the finals. University teams showcased their projects in 58 different categories, ranging from Chip Design to Combat UAVs.

YTÜ’s technology ecosystem at TEKNOFEST 2025 spanned a wide range, including YTÜ Racing’s Formula car, AESK’s autonomous technologies, the Yıldız Rover, Lagari, Casmarine, and the Artam-2 and Semruk projects, as well as projects developed within YTÜ Yıldız Technopark, such as the Orbita smart agriculture robot and the Atlas earthquake signal device. 

As part of the festival last year, YTÜ, with 52 finalist teams and 27 awards, achieved its highest-ever TEKNOFEST success in terms of the number of awards received. The projects developed by the university in various engineering and technology fields were showcased to thousands of visitors throughout the festival.