T3 Foundation Chairman of the Board of Trustees, TEKNOFEST and Baykar Chairman of the Board Selçuk Bayraktar evaluated TEKNOFEST and the company’s projects.
While constructing TEKNOFEST “I wonder if there will be a festival of technology” Bayraktar, who stated that they think “I wonder if the question has been valid for centuries. It has been like this since our civilization’s connection with science and technology was severed, and we grew up with the thought of ‘I wonder if we can succeed? Only Europe can do it, the West can do it’. When we first set up TEKNOFEST, there was a question mark, ‘I wonder if our nation will accept it’. TEKNOFEST In the middle of Salt Lake, where we can say almost in the middle of nowhere, just like rockets are launching, young people are making our dreams grow and our hopes are increasing, just like that, it started with its first year and came to this day like a big volcanic eruption. he said.
The world’s largest tech event by far
Emphasizing that TEKNOFEST hosted 500 thousand visitors in the first year, breaking records in 2023, it is the largest technology event in the world by far, Bayraktar said that more than 1 million students applied to technology competitions alone.
Bayraktar pointed out that the closest similar competition event to TEKNOFEST is one in 20, one in 30, “In this sense, TEKNOFEST is a season that grows like a volcano, grows like an avalanche and fills us with enthusiasm every time it comes. It has become a passion for us. We are organizing the 7th TEKNOFEST. We decided to organize 3 big TEKNOFESTs on the 100th anniversary of our Republic. The first one took place in Istanbul, and we will celebrate the second one in Ankara on a very meaningful date on August 30. The third one will be in Izmir and will continue with the enthusiasm of TEKNOFEST.” used his words.
“Our young brothers will succeed”
“What kind of a picture will the youth of TEKNOFEST reveal after 100 years” Bayraktar gave the following answer to the question:
“It is very difficult to imagine how it was difficult for us to imagine today. We actually lit a spark, but this spark was ignited by the prayers, faith and goodwill of our nation, and it has come to this day with the efforts of our students. It has turned into the biggest technology event in the world. We still have a long way to go. Yes, our country has achieved an important breakthrough in the defense industry, it has developed national and original works that are mentioned all over the world. Our unmanned aerial vehicles are the same, our national smart munitions are the same. It has succeeded in designing, developing and producing these works, but it has to achieve this in all other civilian areas as well. Our young brothers, whom we see here, will succeed, too.”
Bayraktar TB3, KIZILELMA and cruise missiles
Selcuk Bayraktar, who also gave information about the projects on Baykar’s agenda, said that Bayraktar TB3 is counting the days for its first flight.
Bayraktar, “The TB3 will be the first armed unmanned aerial vehicle in the world to be deployed on short-track ships. Shortly after we announced the project, statements from the United States and Israel, ‘We will be the first’, came from institutions working in the same field. The race is still continuing. Of course, it doesn’t end with the first flight, after that it has to take off and land on the ship, TCG ANADOLU. That’s why we are preparing the Bayraktar TB3 for the first flight and its next stages with the utmost effort. Bayraktar KIZILELMA’s development activities are also continuing. Hopefully, it will be ready for production in 2024. It will arrive and we will start production” said.
Selçuk Bayraktar noted that the development activities regarding cruise missiles on Baykar’s agenda also continue.
