DigiKey and Arduino Unveil Challenge to Award $20,000 in Prizes

Project submissions that utilize Arduino's UNO Q microcontroller board are open through Sept. 30

THIEF RIVER FALLS, Minn., July 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- DigiKey, the global distribution leader of electronic components and automation products, and Arduino, a leader in open-source hardware and software, have launched the Dream Lab Challenge to award winning creators a custom lab with professional-grade test equipment. The contest is open to makers, engineers, students and innovators with big ideas through September 30, 2026.

Applicants are encouraged to build and document a project featuring the new Arduino UNO Q microcontroller board, which is a high-performance, hybrid, single-board computer and microcontroller development board. Projects could be anything from an intelligent robot, an AI-powered vision system, a smart automation platform, or something entirely unexpected.

All submissions are encouraged to highlight the UNO Q's powerful capabilities that bridge the gap between hardware and generative AI and demonstrate creativity, innovation and inventive ways to use it. DigiKey and Arduino will award four creators with a custom dream lab package valued at approximately $5,000. The lab's professional-grade equipment is designed to support future experimentation in advanced vision, robotics, local LLMs, VLMs, Edge AI and more.

"DigiKey is heavily invested in supporting the next big ideas in engineering and the Arduino UNO Q microcontroller board is an ideal innovative foundation for creators to work from," said David Sandys, senior director, technical enablement & engagement for DigiKey. "We look forward to seeing the imaginative projects that we can bring to life through the Dream Lab Challenge."

U.S.-based creators who are 18 or older can submit their projects as a maker.io project post using the hashtag #UNOQDreamLab, along with filling out the form on the contest page. Winners will be chosen based on creativity and originality, technical execution, use of the UNO Q solution, quality of documentation and potential impact and innovation.

"Every great invention starts with curiosity," said Guneet Bedi, senior director for Qualcomm. "The DigiKey and Arduino UNO Q Dream Lab Challenge invites every maker, student, engineer, artist and entrepreneur to build something extraordinary and share it with the world, inspiring the next generation of innovators."

For more information about UNO Q and other products in DigiKey's portfolio, visit DigiKey.com.

About DigiKey  
DigiKey, headquartered in Thief River Falls, Minn., USA, is the global leader in electronic components and automation products distribution. DigiKey offers the broadest and deepest selection of products for fast shipment worldwide, with more than 17.4 million components from nearly 3,000 trusted manufacturers. More than a million customers each year, including engineers, designers, builders, procurement professionals, makers and students, rely on DigiKey for innovative digital solutions, design tools and frictionless purchasing experiences that simplify every stage of their projects. Discover more about DigiKey's electronics distribution, automation solutions and design resources at digikey.com and on Facebook, X, YouTube, Instagram and LinkedIn. 

Editorial Contact
Laura Stengrim 
DigiKey 
(218) 681-8000 ext. 14489 
[email protected]

SOURCE DigiKey