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The Electronics Manufacturing & Assembly Collaborative (EMAC) announced the final results of the Bright Electronics Manufacturing Challenge 2026. "Team Fishies" from the University of Massachusetts Lowell earned their first-place spot after several rounds of intense racing in the Round 3 finals. The team will receive a $2,000 cash prize.
A Win Worth Celebrating
Competing among a national field of 31 teams, 124 students, and 14 schools, Team Fishies joined a field of eleven teams chosen to advance to the competition finals at SMTA International, taking place October 27–28, 2026, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois.
In Round 2, finalists hand-assembled and soldered their custom PCB designs on-site, competing for a $500 cash prize. Showing exceptional proficiency in this area, Team Copper Country Huskies from Michigan Tech University won the honors. In Round 3, all teams continued to fight hard. In an exhilarating head-to-head runoff, Team Fishies pulled ahead to win the final race against Team Buff Bots from SUNY Buffalo. It was an exciting competition for competitors and spectators alike.
Creativity shined as Team Buff Bots took top honors in the People’s Choice contest for “coolest robot”, which was voted on by attendees. All teams deserve a round of applause for their hard work and dedication to this months-long challenge.
The 2026 finalist teams competing at SMTA International were:
- Copper Country Huskies | Michigan Technological University
- Team Fishies | University of Massachusetts Lowell
- Driftless | University of Wisconsin – Platteville
- Space Bulls | SUNY Buffalo
- Copper Fangs | St. Mary's University
- Reno Kings | University of Nevada, Reno
- Surface Mounted Bulls | University of South Florida
- GND_Hogs | University of Minnesota
- Indiana Tech PCB Warriors | Indiana Institute of Technology
- M.O.S.F.E.T. | St. Mary's University
- Buff Bots | SUNY Buffalo
