The Minimalist Edge AI Challenge (ACM/IEEE SEC 2026)

Turn large AI models into lean, green, high-performance machines that run on constrained edge hardware.
The Minimalist Edge AI Challenge is the Student Innovation Challenge at the 11th ACM/IEEE Symposium on Edge Computing (SEC 2026), co-organized with the IEEE Computer Society and powered by Qualcomm.
As AI models become larger and more resource-intensive, the challenge is clear: how can we keep AI powerful while making it efficient enough to run directly on edge devices? Participating teams deploy a complex AI workload, such as real-time multi-object tracking or environmental anomaly detection, onto low-power hardware, and optimize for model accuracy, model compression, resource efficiency, and energy parsimony.
👥 Who Can Enter
Teams of 2 to 4 undergraduate or graduate students from a recognized university, from any discipline.
🛠️ Choose Your Track
Software Optimization: AI algorithms, model compression, TinyML, data science, and efficient inference, in a virtual development environment. No dedicated hardware required.
Hardware Deployment: deploy an end-to-end solution on Qualcomm edge AI hardware and demonstrate a working prototype, built on Arduino UNO Q, with microcontrollers, C++, and systems engineering.
🎁 What Qualcomm Provides
An Arduino UNO Q hardware kit shipped to participating teams
Qualcomm trainings and technical mentoring
A virtual development environment
Onsite technical support
🏆 Awards
$4,500 in total cash prizes across both tracks
1st place $1,000, 2nd place $750, 3rd place $500 in each track
IEEE Computer Society swag
Complimentary IEEE Computer Society Student Memberships
📅 Dates and Venue
October 13-15, 2026, Santa Clara University, CA, USA, alongside ACM/IEEE SEC 2026 (October 13-16).
✍️ Registration
$50 per team, 100% refundable when your team shows up at the event.
Register through IEEE vTools: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/567789
Join the Discord for technical updates and early notifications: https://discord.gg/V29ZXCTFR5
Full details: https://acm-ieee-sec.org/2026/student_innovation_challenge.php