From Seaweed Farms to Brain-Scan AI: young innovators took over Prague at Future Port Youth 2025

More than 800 students and teachers filled Prague’s Nová Spirála arena for Future Port Youth 2025, while another 2,000 joined online from across the world. The conference, built around the message “because the world needs your version of the future,” brought together young thinkers, tech leaders and visionaries from Europe, the U.S. and Asia. The international Future Port Youth Awards once again showed how far student innovation can go, attracting over 220 projects ranging from climate-tech to health and space engineering. 

The big winner of this year’s competition was Kelpiebloom from Greece — an ambitious project turning abandoned offshore oil platforms into AI-supported seaweed farms. The Bangladeshi team behind Nirbhoya took second place with an AI app supporting women’s health in underserved communities, and third place went to Neuroflux, a U.S.–Singapore collaboration developing an accessible AI model for early brain-tumor diagnostics.  

Throughout the day, the program brought a mix of visionary talks and very real, very current innovations. Ondřej Vlček, known for his work in tech and philanthropy, now leading the AI startup Aisle, shared how his team is building tools that help people navigate everyday life with more clarity, safety and trust. The newly elected rector of the Czech Technical University (CTU) took the stage to highlight the role of Prague based university in shaping the next generation of engineers — and why students must be at the center of research that tackles global challenges. A powerful moment came with the presentation of ELIN, an emerging AI-powered app designed to support young people’s mental health by offering early intervention and accessible guidance. Together with experts in food futurism, new space ventures and bio-innovation, these speakers showed that the future of technology isn’t just about machines — it’s about building tools that genuinely improve human lives, without forgetting about a simple human touch. 

The buzzing Expo zone added an extra dose of inspiration. Students tried VR flight simulators, met humanoid robots and explored Czech space-tech projects — and at the booth of the National Pedagogical Institute (NPI), they could test their digital skills, learn about Europass services and recharge with fresh coffee. NPI also hosted a special Czech–American youth team The H.E.I.S.T., presenting their own custom-built robot used for international competetions.  

With hands-on workshops, ethical hacking demos and student-built inventions around every corner, this year’s Future Port Youth showed just how ready the next generation is to shape the world with bold ideas and real solutions. 

What were the main highlights and benefits for students? 

Participants enjoyed new ideas shared in open talks from speakers full of motivation, interaction with innovations, meeting heroes, scientists and experts. 

Participants in Prague as well as online participants had an opportunity to meet and interact with speakers and experts in EXPO zone. In the afternoon programme, participants were part of a life session of the Podcast of Tilly Lockey Tilly Talks Tech live. 

Also, future skills and learning opportunities were promoted. NPI promoted online Europass services, such as test of digital skills. European digital skills and jobs platform was introduced as a reliable source of learning opportunities and cyber security skills. 

After three quests, participating students can reach Europass mobility – record of skills and experience from the Conference.

Watch the recording of the main speakers and full program. 

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYHQK8fhCQ4BEhF8HQI4s6Id2cw0QV6f