The anniversary publication was presented at the 20th jubilee event of the Hungarian Society of Young Scientists (the Magyar Fiatal Tudósok Társasága or Mafitud), held at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME), with which the Hungarian Innovation Association works closely.

The book pays tribute to the domestic and international scientific and innovation successes of the competition’s participants over the decades since János Pakucs founded it.

Over more than three decades, Otio has become one of the defining platforms for nurturing scientific and innovation talent in Hungary. The competition gives secondary school students a stage to present their ideas, and it also fits squarely into Hungary’s innovation ecosystem by uniquely connecting classroom knowledge with real-world problem-solving and creative thinking with scientific methodology.

Through their project-based work, students not only gain professional knowledge but also learn the steps of the innovation process, from the birth of an idea to implementation, and from presenting to incorporating critical feedback.

Over the past 35 years, participants have repeatedly demonstrated through international success that the competition’s methodology and standards can hold their own globally. A recent example is Ákos Vida, who won a silver medal and two special prizes at the “world championship” of youth science competitions held in Ohio, United States, with a project aimed at advancing 3D printing.

Another Otio alumnus is Lili Szokolai, who earned third place in Europe’s innovation championship, the 36th EU Contest for Young Scientists, in 2025, with a project aimed at destroying brain tumor cells.

Next Gen Innovation

At the Mafitud anniversary event, Pakucs, who is also honorary president of the Hungarian Innovation Association, presented the jubilee publication.

“Otio plays an important role not only in Hungarian science, but also in developing and ensuring the next generation of innovation. It brings the most talented young people into the world of R&D and innovation while they are still in secondary school, while also creating links among educational institutions, research centers, companies and professional organizations,” Pakucs stressed.

“The History of Otio 1991-2025” spans more than 100 pages and uses photographs, statistics, first-hand accounts and analyses to trace the story of the scientific and innovation olympiad from its earliest ideas through to today’s competitions.

It offers a look behind the scenes of the competition’s creation, the challenges involved in joining international contests, and the difficulties of continuous development and broader reach. It also introduces numerous standout contestants whose results at OTIO in Hungary, at European finals, at world championships and at a range of other international competitions delivered serious successes.

One of the core principles of Otio is that innovation does not end with the results achieved in the competition; rather, those results open doors to domestic and international scientific and business arenas through which young people can continue along the path they have begun.

Reflecting that idea, Mariann Matányi, a member of the Cortex Research Group at the Hun-Ren Institute of Experimental Medicine, spoke about how her earlier Otio successes shaped her professional journey as a neuroscientist and physician.

Janka Sára Molnár, managing director of Funtasztikus Tudomány Kft., similarly described building a career in science communication by drawing on experience gained through the student competition.

Positive Impact

In the same spirit, a roundtable discussion brought together former Otio awardees who have since built serious business careers. The panel included Péter Závodszky, chairman of the board of trustees of the Hungarian Innovation Foundation and a former international vice president of the Hungarian Innovation Association; Gábor Ivánka, president of Mafitud; Máté Kajtár, managing director of GRP Plasticorr Kft.; angel investor István Lám, founder of Tresorit; and Donát Hegyesi, project manager at aiMotive Kft. Together, they summarized the positive professional and scientific impact of Otio competitions and international finals.

Across the 34 competitions to date, students have entered a total of 3,506 projects. Nearly half fall into technology fields (IT, robotics, engineering and technical sciences). Environmental sciences account for 15%, life sciences and medical biotechnology for 14%, and physics for nearly 8.

For this anniversary year, entries rose sharply: The organizers say 497 applications were submitted, 60% more than last year. The themes shaping students’ thinking are clearly led by sustainability and improving quality of life. A significant share of projects target water cleanliness, more efficient energy use, reducing pollutant emissions and protecting health, while ideas related to AI and space research are also present.

Looking ahead, Zoltán Birkner, co-president of the Hungarian Innovation Association and the new chair of the competition’s organizing committee, outlined the competition’s direction.

“We began organizing this year’s 35th Otio with enormous ambition. After last year’s outstanding growth, we wanted to reach even more secondary school students, young people and teachers, so we organized regional selection competitions together with universities and other talent development organizations,” he explained.

“By launching the first InnOtdk, we also brought the university-age cohort into this fantastic creative environment. The record 497 Otio entries proved that it is worth continuing to expand the competition. We hope that our dream will be realized in the near future, and that every year several thousand secondary school and university students will try themselves in these competitions,” he added.

This article was first published in the Budapest Business Journal print issue of February 13, 2026.