Embedder Launches the Arduino UNO Q Build Challenge with Arduino and Qualcomm

100 builders will receive an Arduino UNO Q and a full Embedder license to turn their project ideas into working hardware.

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 28, 2026

Embedder, an AI startup building the world's first autonomous firmware engineer, today launched the Arduino UNO Q Build Challenge with Arduino, with participation from Qualcomm. The challenge will put 100 Arduino UNO Q boards, each paired with a full Embedder license, in the hands of builders with the most promising project ideas. Submissions are open now through November 27, 2026.

Plenty of good hardware ideas never make it off the notebook page. The concept is clear, but the path from writing code to getting a board to actually do something runs through datasheets, drivers, toolchains, and long debug sessions. The challenge is designed to shorten that path, and to see what people build when they have the right board and the right tools.

A board with two brains

The Arduino UNO Q brings serious computing power to the familiar UNO form factor. It pairs a Qualcomm Dragonwing QRB2210 processor, which runs Debian Linux and handles workloads like computer vision and AI, with an STM32U585 microcontroller that runs Arduino sketches on Zephyr for real-time control. It still works with classic UNO shields and the wider Arduino ecosystem.

That combination makes room for projects that once needed several boards: a robot that recognizes objects and drives its motors with precise timing, or a sensor node that runs a model locally and reacts in milliseconds. It also means software that spans two very different environments, Linux on one side and a real-time OS on the other, working together.

Where Embedder fits

Embedder is built for exactly this kind of work. Its agent understands both your code and your hardware. It helps engineers write and change firmware, works through build and debug cycles, and connects to the target to flash builds, inspect device state, and investigate failures. For challenge participants, that means getting from first idea to working prototype faster, whether they are bringing up a new sensor, connecting the microcontroller to the Linux side, or tracking down a bug that only shows up on the device. Embedder also knows Zephyr well: the company joined the Zephyr Project in September.

"Arduino made building with hardware accessible to millions of people, and the UNO Q gives them far more to work with," said Ethan Gibbs, CEO of Embedder. "What still slows people down is the gap between writing code and getting it working on the board. We want to close that gap and see what 100 builders do once it's out of the way."

How it works

1. Submit your idea (Oct. 28 – Nov. 27). Tell us what you'd build with the UNO Q and Embedder, what makes it interesting, and how you plan to bring it to life. Submissions close November 27, 2026 at 11:59 PM PT.
2. Get selected (Dec. 11). Judges from Arduino, Qualcomm, and Embedder will choose 100 projects based on originality, creativity, technical feasibility, and potential impact. Each selected builder receives an Arduino UNO Q and a full Embedder license.
3. Build it (Dec. 28 – Jan. 25). Builders have four weeks to turn their proposal into a working project. Final submissions are due January 25, 2027 at 11:59 PM PT and include a project description, source code (shared privately with the judges unless you choose to publish it), and a short demo video.
4. Win (Feb. 8). The judges will evaluate finished projects on creativity, technical execution, innovative use of the platform, and overall quality. Winners will be announced February 8, 2027.

Already have an UNO Q? You can skip the selection round. Answer "Yes" when the submission form asks whether you own one, and you'll go straight into the build challenge with a full Embedder license. If your idea isn't selected, you can still get your own board, let us know, and compete for the top prizes.

Prizes

• 100 selected builders receive an Arduino UNO Q and a full Embedder license.
• Top 10 projects will be featured on Arduino and Embedder channels.
• Top 3 projects each win an Apple Watch, plus recognition as a winning build.

What could you build?

Robotics and automation, edge AI and computer vision, smart home and IoT, and industrial projects like monitoring and predictive maintenance are all fair game. So are ideas that don't fit neatly into any category. Some of the best ones don't.

Who can enter

The challenge is open to residents of the United States, Canada, Mexico, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and Norway who are 18 or older (or the age of majority where they live). Employees of Arduino, Qualcomm, and Embedder and their immediate families are not eligible. Builders keep full ownership of everything they create, and can open source it or keep it private.

Full details, key dates, and the FAQ are on the challenge page. Have an idea worth building? Submit it by November 27, and share the challenge with someone who'd love it.