In 2025, TEKNOFEST made history by bringing together technology enthusiasts with three different festivals one held abroad in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), Blue Homeland, and Istanbul.
The festival held at the former Ercan Airport in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus between May 1-4, 2025, hosted 225,000 visitors, strengthening fraternal ties and overflowing with young technology enthusiasts. The festival included technology competitions, exhibitions, and interactive events. With the contribution of 130 stakeholder institutions, competitions were held in 6 main categories and 13 subcategories, providing 2.5 million TL in prizes and 3 million TL in material support.
TEKNOFEST Blue Homeland, held at the Istanbul Shipyard Command between August 28-31, 2025, showcased the reflections of national technology in the maritime field to a wide audience. The event, which hosted 175,000 sea enthusiasts, offered participants an unforgettable experience with technology competitions, fair events, national technology product exhibitions, SAT and SAS demonstrations, boat trips, virtual reality experience areas, and workshops. The "From Past to Future: TEKNOFEST Blue Homeland Bosphorus Crossing," held on August 24th in the Istanbul Bosphorus, took place with the participation of the TCG ANADOLU and TCG Savarona ships. Starting from the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge and continuing with a salute from President Erdoğan in Dolmabahçe, the crossing concluded along the Moda, Caddebostan, and Maltepe coastline. Young competitors, children of martyrs, and children from children's homes witnessed this historic moment.
TEKNOFEST Istanbul, the final stop of 2025, was held at Istanbul Atatürk Airport between September 17-21, 2025, and attracted 1,032,000 visitors by the end of the festival. Technology competitions were held in 58 main categories and 137 subcategories during the festival. The winners received over 85 million TL in financial support and over 65 million TL in prizes. The event, realized with the contributions of 135 stakeholder institutions, offered young people a week full of technology and experiences with breathtaking aerial shows, concerts, exhibitions, simulation areas, a planetarium, and exhibitions of marine, land, and air vehicles.
TEKNOFEST 2025 featured many innovations and firsts for participants. Thirteen new competition categories were added to the festival; the Marine Vehicles Exhibition, TEKNOFEST Champions' Parade, KÜME Foundation Field Event, Fetih 1453 Digital Experience Area, Steel Dome Air Defense System, and TEİ BREMZE Experience Area were presented to visitors for the first time. In addition, the Agricultural Technologies Cluster Event Area was opened to participants, enriching the festival experience.
TEKNOFEST, in its 7th year, was held with great enthusiasm in different regions of Türkiye. TEKNOFEST Mediterranean 2024, held at the Antalya Anfaş International Fair and Congress Center from September 5-8, attracted attention with its TEKNOFEST Technology Competitions. Over 200,000 teams and more than 800,000 young people applied to the competitions in 50 different categories, taking a step towards becoming future technology leaders.
Following this, TEKNOFEST Adana, held at Adana Şakirpaşa Airport from October 2-6, 2024, was a great success with 1,100,000 visitors. Over 1,650,000 young people from 100 countries applied to the competitions in 50 main categories and 128 subcategories. The Anka III and TUSAŞ Bayraktar TB3 performed their first public flights at the festival. Visitors also explored special experience areas such as "From Roots to the Future: TEKNOFEST Digital Universe," "TEKNOFEST Time Tunnel," "Mobile Land Vehicles Course," "Children's Stage," "Türkiye's First Manned Space Mission Tent," "TEKNOFEST Champions League," "In the Footsteps of Victory: Çanakkale Experience Area," and "Interview Area."
The 2024 TEKNOFEST was organized in collaboration with 126 stakeholder institutions; it provided over 30 million TL in prizes and over 55 million TL in material support. More than 1,650,000 competitors from 81 provinces and 100 countries applied. The festival brought young people together with the universal enthusiasm of technology, taking Turkey's national technology initiative one step further.
In the 100th year of our Republic, TEKNOFEST was held in Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir, breaking a record with a total of 4,590,000 visitors. The festival hosted 44 different technology competitions in collaboration with 2 organizing bodies and 123 stakeholder institutions. More than 1,000,000 competitors from 81 provinces and 100 countries applied; a total of over 20 million TL in prizes and material support was distributed.
The first stop was Istanbul; at the festival held at Atatürk Airport between April 27 and May 1, 2023, KIZILELMA made its first public flight and achieved a first by performing a formation flight with SOLOTÜRK. World-renowned aerobatic teams UAE Fursan Al Emarat and Royal Morocco Green March performed shows with Turkish pilots; the flypast by Turkish Stars and Fursan Al Emarat was a first in Istanbul. In Istanbul, following the magnificent opening ceremony, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, and Libyan Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dibeybe were hosted. They presented the Turkish flag, symbolizing Türkiye's strength and determination, to Alper Gezeravcı and Tuva Cihangir Atasever, who will be traveling to the International Space Station. Istanbul brought together 2,547,000 technology enthusiasts at TEKNOFEST.
The second stop was Ankara; held at Etimesgut Airport from August 30th to September 3rd, 2023, the festival showcased the DeltaV SORS Sounding Rocket and held the TEKNOFEST Entrepreneurship Competition for the first time in Ankara. A Mahzar Alanson concert was also held as part of the festival. Ankara brought together 943,000 technology enthusiasts at TEKNOFEST.
The third stop was İzmir; The BMC TULGA SUV was exhibited for the first time at TEKNOFEST, held at Çiğli Airport from September 27th to October 1st, 2023. The DENEYAP Makeathon and Ideathon competitions were held for the first time, and the TEKNOFEST Entrepreneurship Competition took place in İzmir. İzmir brought together 1,100,000 technology enthusiasts at TEKNOFEST.
Throughout 2023, as part of the "Let a Child Come and Touch a Plane" project, more than 100,000 students visited the event areas and experienced the spirit of TEKNOFEST.
In 2022, TEKNOFEST both expanded internationally and brought technology to young people across the Black Sea region. Held in Baku, Azerbaijan, on 26–29 May 2022, TEKNOFEST became the first festival organized abroad. 1,000 teams and over 5,000 competitors applied across 10 competition categories. Finalist teams received awards from President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and President Ilham Aliyev. The HÜRKUŞ basic training aircraft flew to Azerbaijan for the first time, T625 GÖKBEY was exhibited, and the National Combat Aircraft VR simulator offered flight experiences. The festival attracted more than 300,000 visitors.
Later, TEKNOFEST Black Sea was held on 30 August – 4 September 2022, centered at Samsun Çarşamba Airport, becoming the first regionally organized festival. Satellite events were held in Rize, Ordu, Giresun, and Trabzon. Over 154,000 teams and 600,000 competitors from 81 provinces and 107 countries participated in 40 competitions. Bayraktar KIZILELMA was exhibited for the first time, and the world’s first Vertical Landing Rocket Competition was held.
Through the “Let a Child Touch an Aircraft” project, 50,000 students from 13 cities visited the festival. The year 2022 was recorded as a milestone in TEKNOFEST’s international and regional expansion.
2022 was recorded as a year in which TEKNOFEST achieved a first on the international and regional stage.
Held on 21–26 September 2021 at Istanbul Atatürk Airport, TEKNOFEST welcomed 1,000,000 visitors, becoming one of Türkiye’s largest technology and aviation festivals. With contributions from 72 stakeholder institutions, competitions were held in 35 categories. More than 200,000 applicants from 81 provinces and 111 countries participated.
Over TRY 5 million in prizes and a total of more than TRY 7 million in combined financial and material support were provided. Nobel Laureate Prof. Dr. Aziz Sancar met with young participants, while a cooperation protocol between Türkiye and Azerbaijan was signed. Azerbaijani Air Force MiG-29 jets performed demonstration flights alongside the Turkish Air Force.
The festival also featured the Turkish Natural Language Processing Competition for the first time. Air shows included formation flights by Bayraktar TB2, AKINCI UCAV, and F-16s, while AKSUNGUR UAV, GÖKBEY helicopter, and the domestically produced TOGG automobile were exhibited.
TEKNOFEST 2021 expanded Türkiye’s national technology movement with new competition categories and increased international participation.
Held on 24–27 September 2020 at the Gaziantep Middle East Fair Center, TEKNOFEST took place without visitors due to the COVID-19 pandemic, yet attracted significant attention through digital and social media platforms. With contributions from 63 stakeholder institutions, technology competitions were organized in 21 different categories. More than 100,000 people applied, with participants from 81 provinces and 84 countries. Over TRY 3 million was awarded to winning teams, while approximately TRY 5 million in material support was provided to teams passing the preliminary rounds.
The DENEYAP KART Electronic Development Kit, developed jointly by the Türkiye Technology Team Foundation and entrepreneurs, was introduced. The sky hosted demonstrations by Turkish Stars, SOLOTÜRK, ATAK, and Gendarmerie Steel Wings. The “Grape Cluster” demonstration jointly performed by the General Directorate of Security and the Coast Guard Command received great acclaim. World-renowned aerobatic pilot Dario Costa, a Red Bull athlete, also showcased his skills.
TEKNOFEST 2020 Gaziantep became the most talked-about event of the year on social media, with 1,940,918 posts and 1,460,348 uses of the fifth most popular hashtag, proving the resilience of Türkiye’s national technology movement even under pandemic conditions.
Held on 17–22 September 2019 at Istanbul Atatürk Airport, TEKNOFEST became the world’s largest festival in terms of participation, welcoming 1,720,000 visitors. Organized with the contribution of 2 organizing institutions and 53 stakeholder organizations, the festival hosted technology competitions in 19 different categories and distributed more than TRY 2 million in prizes. More than 50,000 applicants applied to the competitions, with participants from 81 provinces and 122 countries.
One of the standout highlights was the MC-21 passenger aircraft, which made its international maiden flight from Russia to Istanbul and was displayed at the festival. Türkiye’s first domestic and national ATAK helicopter, HÜRJET training aircraft, BMC ALTAY tank, Baykar-developed AKINCI UCAV, and CEZERİ Flying Car were exhibited for the first time. While SOLOTÜRK and the Turkish Stars delivered unprecedented performances, international aircraft such as the Russian Knights Aerobatic Team, SU-35, Be-200, and ANKA also performed demonstration flights.
TEKNOFEST 2019 further strengthened the visibility of Türkiye’s national technology movement both nationally and internationally.
Held for the first time on 20–23 September 2018 at Istanbul Atatürk Airport, TEKNOFEST brought Türkiye’s national technology vision together with the public. The festival was organized under the leadership of the Türkiye Technology Team Foundation and the Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Industry and Technology, in cooperation with 30 stakeholder institutions.
Technology competitions were held in 14 different categories, with more than TRY 2 million awarded in prizes and financial support. Over 20,000 applicants participated, and approximately 550,000 visitors experienced the festival. TEKNOFEST became the world’s third-largest aviation event in terms of total visitors and the second-largest in terms of daily visitors.
One of the most remarkable events, “The Race of Races,” featured simultaneous performances by SOLOTÜRK F-16, Kenan Sofuoğlu’s Kawasaki H2R, VIP Jet Challenger 605, Aston Martin, Lotus Evora 410 Sport, Tesla P100DL, and a Red Bull Racing Formula 1 car. Over four days, the sky was filled with breathtaking shows by Turkish Stars, SOLOTÜRK, ATAK Helicopters, Bayraktar TB2, HÜRKUŞ, and civilian aerobatic pilots. Hundreds of children experienced their first flight in cockpits alongside pilots, while a Turkish Airlines passenger aircraft performed a formation pass with the Turkish Stars.
TEKNOFEST 2018 was not only a festival but also the beginning of Türkiye’s national technology movement shaping the future.