NEWS

At Istanbul Nişantaşı University’s NeoTech Campus, three successful teams from TEKNOFEST 2024 gathered at the “Owl’s Up: From Scratch to Success” event to share their experiences with young attendees. The event featured DEPUS, who placed second in the Entrepreneurship category, Hermes, the top team in Wireless Communication, and CloudSentry, who ranked eighth in Air Defense Systems.

The participants discussed their journey through TEKNOFEST and the workings of the finals, answering questions from young people on topics such as teamwork, project development, and crisis management. Offering advice to those aiming to compete in the coming years, the team members emphasized that the finals not only present a competitive environment but also an opportunity to experience different cities and cultures. The young talents summarized the chalenge, stating, “There are no losers at TEKNOFEST; the real work begins in the finals.”

Durmuş Can, Manager of Youth Activities at the Istanbul Office of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, congratulated the young teams, highlighting the importance of determination and perseverance in such endeavors. He noted that hearing young talents speak about working with a vision for the future reminded him of the committed struggles that today’s leading technologists in Turkey faced a decade ago. Can also underscored the Ministry's efforts, such as camps and various programs, aimed at engaging young people in civil society activities and equipping them with 21st-century skills.

Talha Dağ, Science and Technology Coordinator at the Istanbul Provincial Directorate of Youth and Sports, shared his past TEKNOFEST experiences and discussed the Directorate’s projects. Dağ noted that the Ministry provides various forms of support for young people, including mentorship, lab access, and accommodation. He emphasized the importance of facilities like Dene-Yap workshops and Science and Technology Laboratories in fostering young talent, concluding that achieving success in TEKNOFEST projects requires not only technical skills but also creativity and time management.

The event concluded with the presentation of participation certificates to the young talents.