AI-SED 2026
Semicon Desert, in alliance with Universidad de Sonora, UNAM-Tucson and the University of Arizona, invites students from Higher Education Institutions in Mexico to take part in the "AI Smart Electronic Design" contest, aimed at strengthening the link between Academia and the productive sector — and encouraging young people to get involved in semiconductor design by solving real challenges from the industry.
Register NowObjective
Foster and drive collaboration between Mexican Media Superior and Higher Education institutions and the productive sector, through AI-powered solutions that address real opportunity areas in the semiconductor design industry.
Who can participate
Students from technical high schools, engineering programs, undergraduate and graduate programs related to Technological Development, including:
- Electronics
- Mechatronics
- Physics
- Computer Science
- Data Science
- Systems
- AI
- Semiconductors
- Biomedical Engineering
- Aeronautics
Participants must come from public or private Media Superior / Higher Education institutions in Mexico. Recent graduates (within 2 years, verifiable) of a bachelor’s, engineering, or graduate program may also participate.
Participating institutions
- Sapiex
- Edasim México
- MicrofabMX
- Global Electronics Association
- Kolab
- Universidad de Sonora
- Universidad de Arizona
- UNAM-Tucson
- Semicon Desert
- Unidad de Alta Tecnología de la UNAM
The challenge
Teams must design a PCB for an industrial device of their choosing, addressing space constraints and signal-routing challenges, and integrating AI techniques to optimize the design, performance, precision, and/or efficiency. The goal is a solid conceptual design backed by reference parameters. Designs that show a competitive cost versus existing solutions, with realistic and well-justified feasibility, will be valued additionally.
How it works
Pre-registration
- Teams of 3 to 5 members, preferably interdisciplinary and optionally inter-institutional. Individual applicants will be helped to form a team.
- Pre-registration via the Sapiex site: sapiex.com.mx/challenges/ai-sed/2026/register
Training & project proposal (2 weeks)
- All pre-registered teams are invited to a free workshop covering the design methodology in detail.
- Training covers Proteus software, PCB design tools, AI, and industry context.
- Each team is assigned at least one advisor as a guide throughout the contest.
- Teams submit a preliminary PCB proposal, endorsed by their advisor, to the organizing committee to receive their training certificate.
- Proposals that meet all requirements and are approved by the evaluation committee move on to Stage 3.
Project development
- Problem definition: clearly identify the real need or challenge the project addresses, and who benefits.
- Solution selection: choose the system the design will be built around, technically grounded in its features and properties.
- Conceptual design & reference parameters: present the system architecture, main components, information flow, and simulated PCB results, plus the industry benchmark values used for comparison.
- AI integration proposal: explain and demonstrate how AI was used to optimize the PCB, comparing design parameters before and after optimization.
Project evaluation
- Projects are evaluated by a jury of academic experts and industry professionals against the criteria below.
- Teams receive constructive feedback from the evaluation.
Final presentation
- The 5 best-evaluated teams present and defend their project before the jury.
- 3 minutes to present, followed by a 4-minute Q&A session.
Awards
- 1st place: $25,000 MXN — the PCB will be manufactured by UNAM’s Unidad de Alta Tecnología.
- 2nd place: $15,000 MXN
- 3rd place: $10,000 MXN
- Recognitions are also given to every member of the winning teams, including advisors.
Evaluation criteria
Key dates
| Activity | Dates | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Call & Pre-registration | Aug 10 – Sep 6, 2026 | 4 weeks |
| Training & project proposal submission | Sep 7 – 18, 2026 | 2 weeks |
| Project development & submission | Sep 21 – Nov 7, 2026 | 7 weeks |
| Project evaluation | Nov 9 – 20, 2026 | 2 weeks |
| Final presentation & awards | Nov 25, 2026 | 1 day |
More information
Dra. Aned De Leon Flores
Research Professor, Universidad de Sonora — Chair, AI-SED Organizing Committee
Ing. César Verdugo Barrera
Manufacturing Engineer, Magna International — Planning & Execution Coordinator, AI-SED