The IEEE Rising Stars Conference is designed to inform, excite, and inspire top engineering students and young professionals worldwide to network and be inspired by each other. The program includes Technical Innovation Talks, Professional Development, Workshops & Competitions, and Networking Opportunities with industry and peers.
On 2-4 January, 2026, the Annual Rising Stars Conference was held at Luxor in Las Vegas, Nevada. Over 3 days, this year’s conference brought together over 500 students and young professionals from around the world with over 30 top speakers.
A highlight of this year’s program was the Project Showcase and new Pitch Contest. This year, 19 teams submitted projects, and 8 teams showcased them at the conference, with three certificates given. The theme of the Pitch Contest was AgeTech and encouraged participants to highlight their innovative prototypes aimed at bettering quality of life and convenience for older adults.
Out of 10 submissions, one was selected to be presented to all conference attendees and sponsors. Carnegie Mellon University won the Project Showcase (title image), and Zehrun Xiao won the Pitch Contest.
