7th International Butterfly Robot Olympics Successfully Held

May 21, 2026 - GTU Office of Press and Public Relations

— The International Butterfly Robot Olympics (KelebekRO) was held with great excitement on May 16–17, 2026, attracting more than 3,000 visitors.

— During the intensive two-day marathon, young talents from different age groups across Türkiye competed fiercely with the robots they designed.

— Rector Prof. Hacı Ali Mantar stated that, as a university, GTU is proud to provide a platform for young people’s enthusiasm and to mentor them throughout the process.

The 7th International Butterfly Robot Olympics (KelebekRO), organized by the GTU Robotics and Automation Society, was held with great excitement at the GTU Congress and Cultural Center on May 16–17, 2026.

With participants arriving from various institutions across Türkiye, as well as young talents from different age groups and their families, the event turned into a true festival of technology. During the two-day event, more than one thousand competitors fiercely competed in exciting categories with the robots they designed. The number of visitors at the venue exceeded 3,000.

The opening ceremony of the event was attended by GTU Rector Prof. Hacı Ali Mantar; Tarık Karkınçam, Deputy Director General of Youth Services; and Ercan Aslan, Deputy Mayor of Çayırova.

Young Talents of the Robotics World Competed

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Yüksel Emre Karabulut, President of the Robotics and Automation Society, emphasized that KelebekRO continues to grow each year with an increasing number of participants. Stating that the preparation process was carried out with great dedication, the club president noted that their primary goal is to provide an international platform where young people can develop their engineering skills.

Tarık Karkınçam, Deputy Director General of Youth Services, expressed his satisfaction at seeing GTU serve as a role model for participants through these olympics. Referring to state support provided for university students, Karkınçam thanked everyone who contributed to the organization of the program.

Rector Prof. Hacı Ali Mantar: “We Are Raising Individuals Who Design the Future”

In his opening speech, GTU Rector Prof. Hacı Ali Mantar summarized the university’s vision of technology and its approach toward students under the following key themes:

He stated that technology is no longer merely a tool, but one of the most important factors determining the development level of nations.
He emphasized that Türkiye is progressing with strong steps in line with its vision of domestic and national technology.
He expressed that the mission of universities is not only to transfer knowledge, but also to educate individuals who think, produce, and develop solutions.

Highlighting the critical importance of such events, where students transform theoretical knowledge into practice, within the learning journey, Mantar stated that GTU will always stand by the students' side.

Rector Mantar also included the following remarks in his speech: “When our young people touch a robot and see that the systems they designed actually work, they gain tremendous self-confidence. As a university, we are delighted to provide a platform for this excitement and to mentor our youth. GTU will continue to make this strong contribution to society and the technologies of the future. I would also like to thank our families and all stakeholders who support them throughout this process.”

Following the opening program, the competitions were officially launched by GTU Rector Prof. Hacı Ali Mantar. The stands were then visited by protocol members. Later, Gebze Mayor Zinnur Büyükgöz also followed the competitions on site, sharing in the excitement of the participants and wishing success to all young competitors.

Closing and Award Ceremony

Speaking at the award ceremony held after the two-day marathon, GTU Vice-Rector Prof. Elif Damla Arısan thanked the student society members for organizing such a professional event with great dedication. Congratulating all competitors participating in the competition, Arısan presented the awards together with academics and student staff members.

GTU Robotics and Automation Society Advisor Yusuf Gürkaynak, PhD, stated that the olympics were brought to life through the voluntary efforts of students and emphasized that academics only assumed a guiding role throughout the process. The advisor noted that the event provided participants not only with technical knowledge but also with values such as teamwork, responsibility, and dedication.

The event was organized in collaboration with ÜNİDES, İMES Dilovası, the GTU Foundation, OctoXLabs, GTU Technopark, the Technology Transfer Office, and the Gebze Chamber of Commerce.

Competition Categories and Award Winners:

Come-Design-Produce (GTÜ)

1. Birikim Birteam

2. Tulpar

3. Qubit Robotics

Open Category

1. Enka Remind

2. V-Light Studio

3. Akıllı Filtre AI

Sustainability Award: TeknoEnka

Social Impact Award: Ali Hüseyin Kumtepe

Best Design Award: Enka Robotics