Upverter Education Hosts Successful Inaugural PCBeTheChange Design Contest
Upverter Education, the leading online platform for teaching and learning printed circuit board (PCB) design, has announced the winners of its first-ever PCBeTheChange student design competition. The contest, which ran from January to April 2023, challenged student teams from universities around the world to design innovative PCBs that address real-world problems related to sustainability, accessibility, or education.
Over 100 Teams from 20 Countries Participated
The PCBeTheChange competition attracted significant interest from the global academic community, with over 100 teams from 20 different countries submitting designs. Participants came from a diverse range of engineering disciplines, including electrical, computer, mechanical and environmental engineering.
“We were thrilled by the level of enthusiasm and creativity shown by all the teams,” said Sarah Johnson, Director of Upverter Education. “It’s clear that the next generation of engineers is passionate about using their skills to make a positive impact on society and the environment.”
Winning Designs Focused on Sustainability, Accessibility and Education
After careful deliberation by an expert panel of judges, three winning teams were selected based on the originality, feasibility, and potential impact of their designs. The winners are:
Place | Team Name | University | Country | Design Description |
---|---|---|---|---|
1st | GreenTech | University of Toronto | Canada | A solar-powered, IoT-enabled PCB for monitoring and optimizing energy usage in buildings |
2nd | AccessAbility | Stanford University | USA | A low-cost, open-source PCB toolkit for building assistive devices for people with disabilities |
3rd | EduBot | Indian Institute of Technology Bombay | India | An educational robot PCB that teaches coding and electronics skills to children |
Each winning team will receive a cash prize, free Upverter software licenses, and the opportunity to present their design at the upcoming Upverter Education Summit in June.
Judges Impressed by Quality and Creativity of Submissions
The PCBeTheChange competition entries were evaluated by a panel of industry experts, including practicing engineers, academics, and sustainability consultants. The judges were impressed by the overall quality and creativity of the submissions.
“It was inspiring to see so many innovative ideas for using PCB technology to solve important challenges,” said lead judge Dr. Mark Patel, Professor of Electrical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University. “The winning designs stood out for their technical excellence, originality, and potential for real-world impact. But truthfully, all the participating teams should be proud of what they accomplished.”
Evaluation Criteria Emphasized Technical Skill and Social Impact
The judging panel used a comprehensive rubric to evaluate each design based on the following key criteria:
- Technical excellence (PCB layout, component selection, manufacturability)
- Novelty and originality of concept
- Feasibility of implementation
- Potential for positive social or environmental impact
- Clarity and completeness of documentation
“We wanted to select winners that represented the best combination of engineering skill and innovative thinking,” explained Dr. Patel. “It was a difficult decision, but in the end the winning designs really exemplified the spirit of the competition – using PCB design to be the change you wish to see in the world.”

Winners Express Excitement and Gratitude
The winning teams expressed excitement and gratitude upon learning of their success in the competition. For many, the experience of designing a PCB for social good was a highlight of their academic careers so far.
“Participating in PCBeTheChange was an incredible learning opportunity,” said Anika Patel, team lead for the first-place GreenTech team. “It challenged us to apply our PCB design skills to a meaningful, real-world problem. Winning this competition is a dream come true, and we’re so grateful to Upverter Education for providing this platform for students to make a difference.”
The second place AccessAbility team echoed this sentiment. “Designing assistive technology PCBs has been a passion of mine for a long time,” said team member Martin Jones. “To have our work recognized in this way is very validating and encourages us to keep pushing forward with our goal of making technology more accessible to all.”
Winning Teams Credit Upverter Platform for Success
The winning teams also credited the Upverter Education platform for providing the tools and resources they needed to succeed in the competition. Upverter’s browser-based PCB design software, component library, and collaborative features were essential to the teams’ design process.
“We really benefited from being able to work together seamlessly on our design, even across different locations and time zones,” said Priya Singh from the third-place EduBot team. “The Upverter platform made it easy to share files, provide feedback, and iterate quickly. We couldn’t have done it without these tools.”

Upverter Education Committed to Empowering Next Generation of Socially-Conscious Engineers
For Upverter Education, the success of the inaugural PCBeTheChange competition is just the beginning. The company sees the contest as part of its broader mission to empower the next generation of engineers to use their skills for social good.
“We believe that PCB design education shouldn’t just be about technical skills, but also about instilling a sense of social responsibility and creative problem-solving,” said Upverter Education CEO Lisa Brown. “By providing students with opportunities like PCBeTheChange to apply their knowledge to real issues, we aim to cultivate a new generation of socially-conscious engineers who are equipped to tackle the challenges of the 21st century.”
Future Competitions Will Continue to Drive Innovation for Good
Building on the positive response to the first PCBeTheChange competition, Upverter Education plans to make the contest an annual event, with even more opportunities for students to get involved and make an impact.
“We were blown away by the level of participation and the quality of the submissions in our first year,” said Brown. “It’s clear that there is a huge appetite among students for this type of socially-engaged engineering challenge. We can’t wait to see what innovative ideas the next cohort of participants will bring to the table.”
The company hinted that future competitions may expand to include additional categories beyond sustainability, accessibility and education, and potentially even more prize opportunities for participants.
“Our goal is to keep growing the PCBeTheChange platform to drive more and more positive innovation from the engineering student community worldwide,” said Brown. “Together, we truly believe that PCB design can change the world for the better.”

Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the PCBeTheChange competition?
The PCBeTheChange competition is an annual contest hosted by Upverter Education that challenges engineering student teams worldwide to design printed circuit boards (PCBs) that address real-world issues related to sustainability, accessibility, education or other social good topics.
2. Who can participate in PCBeTheChange?
The competition is open to current undergraduate and graduate students studying engineering or related fields at accredited universities around the globe. Students must form teams of 2-5 members to participate.
3. What do the winning teams receive?
The top three winning teams receive cash prizes, free licenses to Upverter PCB design software, and the opportunity to present their designs at the Upverter Education Summit. Additional prizes may be awarded in future competitions.
4. How are the winning designs selected?
Designs are evaluated by an expert panel of judges based on criteria including: technical excellence, originality, feasibility, potential for positive impact, and quality of documentation. The judges select the top three designs that best exemplify the goals of the competition.
5. How can I participate in the next PCBeTheChange competition?
Stay tuned to the Upverter Education website and social media channels for announcements about future PCBeTheChange competitions, including timelines and how to register your team. In the meantime, you can hone your PCB design skills using Upverter’s free educational resources and tools.
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