Meeting with Entrepreneurs of the Future: Techno-Entrepreneurial Youth Summit and IEEE BAUN Vision

One of the greatest achievements of university life is being able to share that vision with people while putting theoretical knowledge into practice. While serving as the Chairman of the Board of Directors in the 2021-2022 period, this sharing is undoubtedly one of the most intense events. Techno-Entrepreneurial Youth Summit (StartITup'21) happened.

This giant organization, supported within the scope of the European Union KA3 Erasmus+ Program Youth Dialogue, was held at Balıkesir Avlu Congress and Culture Center between 23-26 November 2021. The summit, which was held under the leadership of the Provincial Directorate of National Education and in partnership with Balıkesir University Project Coordination Unit and IEEE Balıkesir University Student Community, brought together thousands of high school and university students, graduates and young entrepreneurs.

Intense Pace and Leadership Exam in the Background

Although the event lasted 4 days, the preparation and operation process in the background was a complete test of crisis management and leadership. My role as community leader wasn't just about standing at the booth. While ensuring the motivation and coordination of the team, I also took on critical responsibilities such as welcoming valuable speakers behind the scenes, conducting protocol communication and supporting the flawless flow of the event.

At this summit, where more than 500 participants were hosted daily and nearly 3 thousand participants in total, the intense yet satisfying hustle and bustle in the background gave me unforgettable experiences in terms of professional business life, decision-making in times of crisis and networking.

Our Electric Vehicle Is Debuting

One of the most exciting parts of the summit for us was our IEEE BAUN stand, which remained open for 4 days. Our electric vehicle, which we produced with our own means on those dusty roads of the industry, with sleepless nights and all kinds of difficulties, became a star at this summit.

It was a great feeling to explain our projects to the thousands of young people who visited our stand, to open the hood of the vehicle and share the story of that chassis and that engine. The interest of especially high school and university aged young people in our vehicle, the sparkle in their eyes and the technical questions they asked made us feel once again that all the difficulties we went through during the production process were worth it.

Reward for Labor: Thank You and Closing

At the end of four days, we felt the justified pride of both announcing our projects to a wide audience and successfully handling such a large-scale organization. The thank you plaque presented to me on behalf of our community at the closing ceremony was actually a symbol of the joint effort of the entire IEEE BAUN family, who were waiting for that stand, running in the background and believing in this vision.

I would like to thank all the institutions, supporters and my teammates who worked hard on the field that day, who contributed to the planning and realization of this beautiful organization, which allows the young generation of high school and university age to be developed in line with 21st century skills.