The Newcomer of the Year award recognizes someone whose fresh idea or initiative has grown into something outstanding in a short period of time – be it an original project, a surprising initiative, or an inspiring contribution that enriches student life. Katariina Vutt, representing the category sponsor Red Bull, noted: “For Red Bull, it is always incredibly inspiring to see young people who think big and dare to give wings to their ideas.” Out of many exciting projects, the committee’s attention was captured by TalTech x TTK Folkrace, which was born through a collaboration between Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech), Tallinn University of Applied Sciences (TTK), and RoboSquad OÜ, under the leadership of chief organizer Johanna Brigite Verro.
TalTech x TTK Folkrace is a youth-focused robotics competition where participants build and programme autonomous robots to navigate an obstacle-course racetrack, putting speed, precision, and creativity to the test. With multiple competition classes, the event welcomes both beginners and experienced robotics enthusiasts. The first Folkrace took place in November 2025 at Tallinn University of Applied Sciences, followed by the second stage in April 2026 at the Mektory Innovation and Business Centre. In their acceptance speech, the laureates described the project perfectly: “We wanted to do a nice little thing, but it didn’t turn out small at all – so at least it was very nice.”
The strength of Folkrace lies in its inclusive and practical format, offering hands-on testing opportunities even for those without prior experience or access to expensive technology. Young people can try their hand at engineering, programming, and problem-solving, bringing their ideas to life in the real world. At the same time, the project brings together TalTech and TTK students alongside school pupils, strengthening the cooperation between the two universities and helping to build a tech-driven community.
For the students, Folkrace is much more than just a technology event. It is an opportunity to develop teamwork, project management, and technical creativity, to challenge themselves in real-world scenarios, and to forge connections that extend far beyond a single day of competition.
