Türkiye’s flagship aviation and technology festival entered its second day on Thursday, bringing young innovators and leading domestic defence firms together in the south-eastern city of Şanlıurfa.
TEKNOFEST Southeast opened on Wednesday at Şanlıurfa Airport and will continue until Sunday, combining technology competitions with aircraft displays, workshops, concerts and aerial demonstrations.
Organisers say the festival aims to encourage young people to pursue careers in science, engineering and advanced technology while showcasing Türkiye’s home-grown aerospace and defence sector.
More than 1.6 million competitors from 99 countries, representing over 730,000 teams, applied to take part in TEKNOFEST’s technology contests this year. Of those, 2,000 teams have advanced to the finals, according to organisers.
The finals in Şanlıurfa cover fields including agricultural and financial technology, cybersecurity, mining, robotics and air defence.
Successful teams will be eligible for more than 100 million Turkish liras in support.
Visitors to TEKNOFEST can see Turkish-built aircraft and unmanned systems, including the Bayraktar TB2, TB3 and AKINCI drones, as well as the HÜRKUŞ trainer, ANKA unmanned aircraft and ATAK helicopters.
The five-day event also features air shows by the Turkish Stars aerobatic team, parachute jumps, helicopter demonstrations, simulation zones and educational activities for children.
Admission is free, but visitors must register online before entering the 191,000-square-metre festival site.
First held in Istanbul in 2018, TEKNOFEST has since expanded to several Turkish cities and international locations. Organisers say previous editions have attracted around 12 million visitors in total.
The festival is jointly organised by the Turkish Technology Team Foundation (the T3 Foundation) and the Turkish Industry and Technology Ministry, with support from public institutions, universities and leading technology companies.
The decision to hold the latest edition in Şanlıurfa reflects efforts to take major technology events beyond Türkiye’s main urban centres. Local officials say the event will also support tourism and economic activity in the historic south-eastern province.
Hosting the festival in Şanlıurfa also aligns with the government’s goal of linking regional development with investment in science, manufacturing and technological entrepreneurship.
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