TEKNOFEST Accessibility Life Technologies Competition

TEKNOFEST Accessible Living Technologies Competition is a thematic technology competition organized to encourage the development of original, local and national solutions aimed at improving the quality of life for individuals with special needs, transforming technology into social benefit, and aligning with the vision of the National Technology Initiative. The competition targets the development of accessible technologies that enhance individuals’ independent living skills while also aiming to cultivate individuals with a strong sense of social responsibility.

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The competition is grounded in the Ministry of Family and Social Services’ 2030 Accessible Living Vision and focuses on supporting the accessibility rights of individuals with special needs in health, inclusive education, transportation, employment and emergency situations such as disasters. It promotes projects designed to reduce the challenges these individuals face in their academic, social and professional lives and to increase their societal participation.

The Accessible Living Technologies Competition encompasses technological solutions that enhance the quality of life for individuals with congenital or acquired chronic illnesses, visual and hearing impairments, intellectual and physical disabilities, mental health conditions, autism and other neurodevelopmental differences. The competition includes projects developed in the following areas:

Solutions that facilitate independent performance of daily living activities,

Tools that enhance social interaction and remove communication barriers,

Technologies that support medical monitoring, emergency response and rehabilitation processes.

Additionally, teams that develop projects under specially designated “Star Topics” and rank among the top 10 in the final evaluation are awarded a prestigious prize.

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Students from middle school, high school (including open education), university (associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral levels), graduates, graduate-level companies and startups from Türkiye and abroad may apply to the competition.

The competition process consists of three main evaluation stages:

Project Preliminary Evaluation Report: The technical feasibility, originality and applicability of the project idea are assessed.

Project Presentation (Semi-Final): The project’s development status, business plan and social impact are evaluated through presentations.

Prototype and Final Presentation: The developed prototype is scored based on user experience, functionality, accessibility level and final impact potential. Evaluation criteria include innovation, technical proficiency, user-centered design, sustainability and social contribution.

The competition is implemented in full alignment with the vision of the National Technology Initiative, supporting Türkiye’s goal of complete technological independence. The Accessible Living Technologies Competition aims to contribute to Türkiye’s digital transformation by promoting solutions that improve the quality of life for individuals with special needs, grounded in the principles of social responsibility and human-centered technology. Projects developed by participants serve not only technological objectives but also uphold ethical, social and human values.

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TEKNOFEST Accessible Living Technologies Competition is a comprehensive platform that brings together individuals from diverse age groups and disciplines to generate solutions that enhance the lives of individuals with special needs. By harnessing technology in a human-centered manner to produce social benefit, the competition aims to create value for Türkiye’s goals of social development and technological independence.