Turkcell showcased 5G, artificial intelligence and digital technology applications at TEKNOFEST Southeast at Şanlıurfa GAP Airport from September 30 to October 4. The stand attracted particular interest from young people. Awards were presented to the teams that placed in the competition organized in cooperation with the T3 Foundation. Turkcell General Manager Dr. Ali Taha Koç emphasized the festival’s contribution to young people’s development of technology. A total of 745 teams from 11 countries and more than 150 universities applied to the competition at TEKNOFEST 2026; 20 teams advanced to the final from among 163 teams. Solutions were tested in the field during the final held at Istanbul Technical University’s Ayazağa Campus on August 8-9.
- Best Application Architecture
- Best Presentation
- Turkcell Special Award
Why it matters
The scale of the competition shows that technology development processes are carried out not only through individual ideas but also in a competitive environment involving universities and teams from different countries. The testing of the final solutions in the field indicates that the projects were evaluated under real-world conditions beyond the presentation and design stages. The award categories assess not only the technical structure but also how the solution is communicated and its alignment with the priorities of a particular institution. While this picture offers an opportunity for young people to participate in technology development, it leaves open the question of how the applications developed in the competition will be sustained after testing and to what extent they will be put into use.
Background
Akıllı is not a new name in the FikirPilot archive: over the past 90 days, we have published 18 news stories featuring this name; the most recent is dated October 2, 2026.