IIT Guwahati Wins Lam Research Challenge 2026

Bengaluru: IIT Guwahati emerged as the overall winner of the third edition of the Lam Research Challenge 2026, a national-level semiconductor systems engineering competition that brought together talented engineering students from across the country.

The two-day grand finale, held at PES University in Bengaluru on November 5 and 6, witnessed participation from 25 finalist teams selected through a rigorous three-month competition. IIT Ropar secured the runner-up position, while NIT Calicut finished third.

Organised by Lam Research, a leading supplier of wafer fabrication equipment, the competition attracted 803 teams from 189 colleges across 23 states and four Union Territories. More than 3,000 students participated, highlighting the growing interest in semiconductor technology and advanced engineering among India's youth.

The finalists represented 20 institutions, including 10 Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), two National Institutes of Technology (NITs) and two BITS campuses. Each team comprised four students from multidisciplinary backgrounds.

The participants were challenged to develop solutions to complex semiconductor manufacturing problems, demonstrating their technical knowledge, innovation, teamwork and problem-solving abilities. The winners shared prize money worth Rs 10 lakh, while selected participants will also receive internship opportunities with Lam Research.

"Semiconductor manufacturing is one of the most sophisticated engineering environments in the world today, requiring talent that can solve complex, systems-level challenges. The Lam Research Challenge is designed to help students build these capabilities while gaining exposure to engineering problems shaping the future of our industry," said Rangesh Raghavan, corporate vice-president and managing director of Lam Research India.

The competition aims to promote systems engineering skills across hardware, software, automation, data science and process engineering, which are increasingly important as artificial intelligence drives demand for advanced semiconductors.

Lam Research is also supporting India's semiconductor workforce development through initiatives such as Semiverse Solutions, advanced manufacturing training and industry-oriented skill development programmes. Its partnership with the India Semiconductor Mission and the Indian Institute of Science aims to train up to 60,000 engineers over the next decade.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Coovercolly Indresh

[email protected]