Astana, June 22, 2026 — The final of OPEN SPACE 2026, one of the major international student competitions in science, engineering, high technology, and innovation, has successfully concluded in the capital of Kazakhstan. For the fifth consecutive year, the competition has brought together talented young researchers, engineers, and developers.
OPEN SPACE is a unique international high-tech platform that brings together emerging scientific fields, modern engineering solutions, and innovative tools. At the intersection of these disciplines, future technologies emerge and new leaders of scientific and technological progress take shape.
The core mission of OPEN SPACE is to identify, evaluate, and promote promising innovative developments that can serve as a foundation for the advancement of modern industries and the implementation of new Industry Story initiatives.
In 2026, the competition gained particular significance amid growing global demand for engineering and scientific solutions for industry. Projects were submitted across the following fields: mechanical engineering; geology, geodesy, and geophysics; architecture and BIM technologies; chemical engineering and petrochemistry; agrochemistry; chemical technologies for the mining and metallurgical sector; mining and metallurgy; robotics and unmanned technologies; ecology and industrial ecology.
Following the preliminary selection stage, 32 outstanding teams advanced to the final. They presented scientific and technical projects distinguished by a high level of engineering expertise, innovation, practical relevance, and commercialization potential.
The finalists included representatives of Kazan Federal University (Russia), the Barlau Geological Exploration College, S. Seifullin Kazakh Agrotechnical Research University, Tashkent Institute of Chemical Technology, and other leading educational institutions.
Following the final project presentations and evaluation by the international jury, the best projects were selected based on their scientific excellence, technological readiness, and prospects for further research and practical implementation.