Building the next generation of semiconductor innovation
November 10-12, 2026 | 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Messe Munich, ICM
A three-day venture-building hackathon at SEMICON Europa 2026 that unites top individual talent from across Europe to form interdisciplinary teams and validate investable semiconductor product concepts directly on the show floor.
Registration Deadline: August 31, 2026
Who should apply?
This hackathon brings together builders, problem‑solvers, and entrepreneurs ready to tackle real semiconductor industry challenges and turn ideas into viable businesses.
We welcome participants from diverse backgrounds, including:
🔬 Researchers & Academics
PhD candidates, Postdocs, Master's students, and R&D Professionals developing deep‑tech solutions with commercial potential
🚀 Early‑Career Talent
Junior Engineering Professionals, Computer Science, Data/AI, Materials Science, Physics, Business, or Entrepreneurship
🏭 Industry Professionals
Engineers, Product Managers, System Architects, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Sustainability Experts
💡 Startup Founders & Entrepreneurs
Early‑stage founders and venture‑builders looking to explore new ideas, technologies, and market opportunities
Why should you participate?
Curated co-founder matching
Access to a pre-screened pool of complementary talent — forming investor-ready team configurations that rarely emerge in academic silos
Real-time market validation
Bypass weeks of cold outreach by testing technical specs and customer pain points directly with 700+ daily trade fair visitors and industry experts on-site
Elite mentorship access
Direct, hands-on guidance from senior R&D leaders and corporates providing high-level feedback on architecture and business models
100% IP retention
Everything you build stays yours. All participants retain full intellectual property ownership of their venture concepts
Career & venture acceleration
Win fast-track admission into TUM Venture Labs incubation programs or get scouted by leading tech companies for key R&D roles
READY TO APPLY?
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis
Registration deadline: August 31, 2026
High-performance talent scouting
A live assessment centre for HR and CTOs — observe high-potentials solving complex industry problems under real-time pressure
Active ecosystem engagement
Position your company as a thought leader and supporter of the next generation by contributing mentors who guide teams through technical challenges
Early access to emerging innovation trends
A first look at radical, bottom-up innovation concepts and academic spin-off ideas - before they reach the open market
Visibility and publicity
Prominent presence across all three days of the hackathon — on stage, in post-event articles, and throughout the SEMICON Europa network
Shape the next wave of deep-tech
Define real industry challenges, set the direction for the semiconductor field, and influence the ventures that emerge from this event
INTERESTED IN SPONSORING?
Get in touch to learn about partnership opportunities for SEMICON Europa × TUM Venture Labs Hackathon 2026
How it works
- Multi-track, individual-first hackathon designed to enable co-founder matching, structured ideation, and proof-of-concept development across multiple semiconductor technology challenges
- Selected participants from leading European research institutions and the semiconductor industry
- Located directly on the show floor, mentor sessions and public visibility, with a separate, focused work zone for teams
- Algorithmic pre-matching ensures high-performance, cross-functional teams are formed before Day 1
- Final pitch on the NextSEMI ARENA in front of a senior jury of VCs, corporates, and deep-tech investors
Agenda
DAY 0 - PRE-EVENT
Pre-dinner onboarding
The first physical gathering of pre-matched teams: designed to establish alignment, build trust, and eliminate social friction before the sprint begins
- Informal icebreaker session to accelerate team chemistry
- Introduction to challenge tracks and technical infrastructure
DAY 1 - KICK-OFF
Challenge reveal & problem definition
Official introduction of challenge tracks and technical infrastructure kits
- Teams identify specific pain points and sketch initial solution architectures
- First mentor alignment session to validate technical assumptions
DAY 2 - VALIDATION & PROTOTYPING
Industry validation & MVP development
Teams move from concept to a validated, investable venture
- Validation safari: field research on the trade fair floor with real exhibitors and potential customers
- Glassbox reviews: intensive 30-minute mentor slots to stress-test the value proposition
- High-velocity prototyping: core engineering phase to build the MVP or run system simulations
DAY 3 - GRAND FINALE
Pitch training, final demo & awards
Teams transform their venture concept into a compelling narrative and present it live
- Pitch coaching: crafting the story and translating complex technology into clear value
- 3-minute pitch and live demo in front of a senior industry jury
- Pitch on the start-up stage for track winner and award ceremony
Proposed tracks
The following categories are illustrative; final tracks will be announced onsite.
