Tesla Fest 2026 Celebrates 40 Years of Innovation
More Than 80 Exhibitors and Approximately 220 Innovations Highlight the Anniversary Festival in Novi Sad
The 40th International Festival of Innovation, Knowledge and Creativity (Tesla Fest 2026) was held from 12 to 14 October 2026 at the SPENS Sports and Business Center in Novi Sad, Serbia. Organized by the Inventors Association of Vojvodina, the anniversary edition brought together inventors, researchers, educational institutions and companies from Serbia and abroad to present new ideas, technologies and practical solutions.
The festival marked two significant milestones: four decades of Tesla Fest and the 170th anniversary of Nikola Tesla’s birth. Its programme connected this scientific legacy with contemporary invention, international cooperation and the creative achievements of younger generations.
An International Showcase of Invention and Applied Research
Tesla Fest 2026 featured more than 80 exhibitors and approximately 220 innovations, patents, inventions and creative works, including projects developed by young people. The exhibition highlighted solutions addressing industrial development, energy efficiency and the application of modern technologies.
Participants included independent inventors, academic institutions, research contributors and companies. Inventions and patents were presented by authors from Serbia, India, Thailand, China, the Czech Republic, Italy, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria and Iran.
The range of participants gave the festival an international character while bringing together different approaches to innovation. Established inventors and research organizations shared the exhibition space with young creators, connecting professional experience with emerging scientific and technical talent.
IFIA President Opens the Anniversary Edition
Alireza Rastegar, President of the International Federation of Inventors’ Associations (IFIA), officially opened the anniversary festival. During the opening programme, he presented three awards to local innovators, recognizing inventive achievement as part of the celebration.
The Provincial Government also hosted a reception for the IFIA President during his visit to Novi Sad, adding an institutional dimension to his participation in the event.
IFIA’s involvement continued its longstanding relationship with Tesla Fest. The Federation’s support, together with the participation of its President in the opening and award presentations, connected the anniversary programme with the international community of inventors and invention associations.
Young Innovators Share the International Stage
Young people’s creativity was an important feature of the 2026 edition. Their inventions and creative works formed part of the wider exhibition, providing opportunities to present ideas alongside those of experienced inventors, academic institutions and companies.
The festival’s programme included “Innovative Potentials of Youth,” a competition and review of technical creativity dedicated to younger participants. This emphasis on youth linked the celebration of Tesla’s achievements with encouragement for a new generation to explore science, develop technical skills and pursue inventive ideas.
The participation of young innovators also gave practical meaning to the festival’s focus on knowledge and creativity: the anniversary was not only a reflection on scientific history, but an opportunity to present the ideas being developed by future inventors.
Intellectual Property and Knowledge Exchange
Alongside the exhibition, Tesla Fest 2026 included an International Conference on Innovation and Intellectual Property, held under the auspices of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
The Intellectual Property Office of the Republic of Serbia participated in the festival and engaged directly with inventors and innovators. Discussions addressed the timely protection of inventions, trademarks and industrial designs, as well as the role of intellectual property knowledge in business development and the commercialization of innovative solutions.
These activities complemented the presentation of new technologies by bringing attention to the steps involved in protecting and developing inventive work. They also provided a setting for exchanging experiences and discussing the needs of innovators with intellectual property professionals.
International Awards Recognize Inventive Achievement
The Tesla Fest international jury recognized outstanding entries with gold medals bearing the image of Nikola Tesla, continuing the festival’s tradition of honoring inventive achievement.
In addition to the three awards presented by the IFIA President during the opening, WIPO representatives presented awards recognizing a young innovator, a company and an inventor. The distinctions acknowledged contributions from different parts of the innovation community and formed an important component of the anniversary programme. The Serbian Intellectual Property Office also confirmed the presentation of three WIPO awards in different categories during the jubilee edition.
Together, the jury medals and international distinctions brought recognition to both emerging talent and established inventive work.
A Proposal for “World Nikola Tesla Day”
The anniversary provided a setting for the organizers and local inventors to promote a proposal to establish “World Nikola Tesla Day.”
The initiative drew attention to Tesla’s important patent filings in 1887 and the subsequent application of his alternating-current system at Niagara Falls. These achievements were presented as examples of the connection between inventive ideas, intellectual property and practical technological transformation.
The proposal was raised with the IFIA President as an initiative for wider international consideration. It sought to extend recognition of Tesla’s legacy while encouraging greater public attention to invention, scientific creativity and the contribution of inventors to society.
Four Decades of Innovation and International Cooperation
Tesla Fest 2026 combined an international exhibition, youth creativity, intellectual property discussions and award recognition within its anniversary programme. Its four-decade history has established the festival as a continuing meeting point for inventors, educational institutions and businesses in Serbia and the wider region.
The 2026 edition demonstrated the continuing relevance of that role, particularly through the participation of young innovators and the presentation of solutions addressing industrial and energy-related challenges. The organizers expressed hope that the festival’s continued development would attract greater institutional attention and financial support for inventive activity.
For IFIA, participation in the opening and recognition programme reflected its continuing support for international invention events and the innovators they bring together. Tesla Fest’s anniversary connected the celebration of a scientific legacy with the work of inventors developing new ideas today.
IFIA congratulates the Inventors Association of Vojvodina, all award recipients and participating innovators on the 40th anniversary of Tesla Fest and their contributions to the international invention community.