The IEEE Electronic Components and Technology Conference (ECTC), the technical conference and product exhibition for the semiconductor packaging industry, has announced a Student Innovation Challenge for its 76th edition in 2026. Six winning student teams will attend ECTC 2026 with financial assistance, including travel costs up to a specified amount.
More than 2,000 scientists, engineers, and businesspeople from more than 20 countries are expected to attend the 76th annual ECTC, scheduled for May 26-29, 2026, at the JW Marriott & Ritz-Carlton Grande Lakes Resort in Orlando, FL.
Przemyslaw Gromala, ECTC 2026 Vice General Chair and Sr. Expert & Simulation Team Leader at Robert Bosch GmbH, stated: “This is a wonderful opportunity for students to have a platform to showcase innovative technical skills to packaging experts from industry and academia, through competition with other student teams from around the world. The finalist student teams gain exposure to the conference’s state-of-the-art technical program and packaging experts; networking with potential employers, including potential internships; and will have the opportunity for their work to be published in the highly regarded technical journal, IEEE Transactions on Components, Packaging and Manufacturing Technology.”
The 2026 ECTC Executive Committee is inviting teams of up to three students currently enrolled in undergraduate (BSc), master’s (MSc), or doctoral (PhD) programs from any university. Interested teams must pre-register by December 31, 2025, for one of three pre-defined challenges focused on simulation and reliability in electronic packaging.
Challenges for BSc and MSc students:
• Low-cost Robust Thermal Solution for High Power AI/Datacenter Processor
Challenges for PhD students:
• Materials, Interfaces, & Processes for Ultra-Scalable Interconnects
• Electromigration Solutions for BGA Interconnects in AI-Focused Packages
Teams must submit reports with results and findings by January 19, 2026. The organizing committee will announce six finalist teams on February 16, 2026. These teams will have until May 15, 2026, to finalize their work and submit presentations.
For more information about the student competition, visit: https://ectc.net/ectc-competition/
