Sierrathon – The PCB Design Challenge
REGISTER NOW
November 21st, 2026 | 9 AM to 6 PM
COST: FREE
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108
Days
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12
Hours
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38
Minutes
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59
Seconds
In partnership with
San Jose State University
One-day FULLY ON SITE competition at San Jose State University
Exciting prizes (we hope) await winners and participants!
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$2,000
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Sierra PCB fab & assembly
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$500 sponsorship towards a school project
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Mini 3D printer
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Digital logic analyzer
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Raspberry pi kit
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Digital microscope
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Soldering kit
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And more prizes...
Competition overview
Put your PCB skills to the test!
Sierrathon is not your average design competition, it’s a high-energy, fast-paced challenge where engineering students tackle real-world PCB design problems. Over the course of one day, teams will simulate the design process, earning points for accuracy, efficiency, and innovation. The team with the highest score takes home the Sierrathon Champion title!
Competition details
📍 Venue: San Jose State University, Room 285
📅 Date: Saturday, November 21st
⏳ Duration: One full day from 9 AM to 6 PM
🎯 Teams: 1-5 students per team
Check your eligibility!
Only students with basic PCB design skills will be qualified to sign up.
One-day FULLY ON SITE competition
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Competition goals:
- • Participants will be challenged to design a compact, functional PCB that meets specific performance, cost, and size requirements.
- • The focus will be on creating a practical, manufacturable board that achieves a defined purpose, while making thoughtful design decisions about component selection, layout, and overall functionality.
- • The competition encourages creativity, problem-solving, and engineering judgment under real-world constraints.
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We'll provide:
- • Schematic diagram with reference designators, pin numbers, and net names.
- • Bill of materials (BOM) with suggested part numbers, package types, and dimensions.
- • Placement rules (keep-out zones, connector edge positions, component clearance, etc.).
- • Routing constraints (minimum trace width, clearance, differential pair requirements if applicable).
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Your challenge:
- • Create the schematic in your design tool.
- • Build a stack-up with the number and types of layers of your choosing.
- • Place the components according to the given constraints.
- • Complete routing within the DRC rules.
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Judging panel:
- • Present design decisions, optimizations, and trade-offs to a panel of judges.
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Design tool guidance:
- • You’re free to use any PCB design software you prefer. We recommend KiCad or Cadence Allegro/OrCAD. See below.
The mission behind Sierrathon
Sierra Circuits launched Sierrathon in 2024 to inspire and empower the next generation of engineers by providing a hands-on opportunity to design innovative circuit boards. Through this second hackathon, we aim to foster creativity, technical skill development, and collaboration among students, while also giving them access to our industry-leading tools and expert guidance. By engaging with the future leaders of electronics design, we strengthen the connection between academia and industry, ensuring a bright future for PCB technology.
Cadence
Cadence is one of the world’s leading developers of PCB and semiconductor design software. Used by top technology companies and universities alike, Cadence tools help engineers turn ideas into real products. Through Sierrathon, you’ll have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience with professional-grade software used throughout the electronics industry.
We’re delighted to welcome back Umama Oishi from Cadence as a returning Sierrathon judge. With her expertise in PCB design and electronic design automation, Umama brings valuable industry insight and a passion for mentoring the next generation of engineers. Her feedback will give participants a unique perspective on designing with professional tools and the skills that matter most in today’s electronics industry.
KiCad
KiCad is a free, professional-grade PCB design tool. It offers powerful features like multi-layer routing, differential pairs, and 3D visualization; perfect for bringing innovative circuit ideas to life. Its open-source platform also makes collaboration and file sharing easy throughout the competition.
Please, note: KiCad runs best on standard laptops; underpowered devices like Chromebooks may be slow. Windows users with Intel graphics should ensure their drivers are fully up to date to avoid display issues such as green lines.
Download our KiCad Design Guide and KiCad 9 Guide.
Planet Labs
Planet Labs is a global leader in Earth observation, operating the world’s largest fleet of imaging satellites to capture daily images of our planet. Its technology supports applications ranging from climate monitoring and agriculture to disaster response and national security.
We’re excited to welcome back Avery Brock, Senior Electrical Engineer at Planet Labs, as a returning Sierrathon judge. Avery brings valuable industry experience in designing advanced electronics for space applications and looks forward to evaluating your PCB designs and sharing insights from real-world hardware development.
San Jose State University
The San José State University College of Engineering is one of the nation’s leading public engineering schools, preparing students to solve real-world challenges through hands-on learning, innovation, and close collaboration with Silicon Valley’s technology industry. Its strong emphasis on practical design experience, research, and industry partnerships makes it an ideal partner for Sierrathon, where students can apply their engineering skills to real PCB design challenges.
We’re thrilled to continue our partnership with Dr. Sheryl Ehrman, Don Beall Dean of the Charles W. Davidson College of Engineering, and Dr. David W. Parent, Professor and Chair of the Department of Electrical Engineering. Their continued support helps make Sierrathon an incredible opportunity for the next generation of PCB designers and hardware engineers.
Learn more about SJSU Engineering. And go Spartans!
