Watching tomorrow take flight at TEKNOFEST

Standing at TEKNOFEST Istanbul, I quickly realised it’s more than a festival.

It’s a stage where imagination meets opportunity.

A place where a new generation of innovators is discovering what they can achieve.

The excitement is everywhere.

Drones buzzing overhead.

Rockets on display.

Robots moving, coding competitions running, students cheering.

The energy is electric, contagious.

But TEKNOFEST is not just spectacle.

It’s a training ground.

A place where young people learn to take risks.

Where failure is part of the process, and curiosity is celebrated.

I watched hundreds of thousands of participants.

Thousands of teams.

Ideas turning into prototypes.

Dreams turning into plans.

It’s a glimpse into what this generation can build.

And that’s why it matters.

Because the future won’t wait.

The next wave of engineers, scientists, and innovators is being shaped here, today.

For policymakers, educators, and industry leaders, it’s a signal.

Invest in youth. Provide mentorship. Give resources.

Because talent exposed to opportunity doesn’t just imagine the future — it builds it.

Watching these young innovators, I saw it clearly:

Türkiye is not only participating in the global tech race.

It’s shaping its own lane.

It’s teaching its youth to lead, not follow.

TEKNOFEST is thrilling.

It’s inspiring.

And most importantly, it’s critical.

Because the ideas born here will define tomorrow.