Taking place at the Coventry Building Society Arena on 7-8 October, visitors to the Engineering Design Show (EDS) will find over 200 exhibitors, three dedicated conference theatres, five new Tech Tours and plenty more.
At the Engineering Design Show (EDS), the exhibition will being together the components, technologies, tools and expertise involved in taking an idea through design, development and into production.
Headline Sponsor Solsta will be among more than 200 exhibitors, alongside TDK-Lambda, Würth Elektronik, Hitek Electronic Materials, Electro Mechanical Systems and Telsonic UK, as well as specialist suppliers from across the wider design engineering community.
Here, visitors will be able to explore everything from electronic components, PCBs, power and connectivity to embedded systems, test and measurement, EMC, simulation, product design, materials, enclosures and manufacturing.
This breadth matters because engineering rarely sits neatly within one discipline. Electronic design meets mechanical; hardware meets software; and decisions around materials, testing, manufacture and compliance can influence a product long before it reaches production. EDS brings those conversations, technologies and expertise together under one roof.
Using the EDS app, attendees will be able to plan their time at the show. They can build a personalised schedule of conference and workshop sessions, favourite exhibitors and find them using the interactive floor plan, arrange meetings, and connect and chat with other attendees across the two days.
Three conference theatres
The EDS conference has been completely revamped for 2026, with its structure now following the same three disciplines at the heart of the wider show.
The Engineer Theatre will focus on Mechanical Design, New Electronics Theatre on Electronic Design, and Eureka! Theatre on Embedded Design, with each programme developed alongside the respective specialist editorial team.
Across the three theatres, the programme moves from the engineering challenges of today to the technologies beginning to shape what comes next.
One of the opening-day panels, Beyond the Lab: Mapping the UK’s Autonomous Frontier and the Rise of Physical AI, brings together experts from The National Robotarium, Airbus, MTC and Starship Technologies to explore the progress of robotics and autonomous systems from pioneering R&D towards commercial deployment.
Motorsport also features prominently across the programme. Bob Bhatti, head of mechanical engineering and design at Formula 1, will bring
a perspective from the very top of the sport, while Mark Preston, team principal & motorsports director at Lola Cars, will explore the journey from F1 precision to Formula E innovation. Then John Farn-Ramsay, principal engineer – vehicle dynamics at Lotus Cars, will examine how simulation and expert driver judgement come together in vehicle development.
Elsewhere, Cadence will explore how AI is reshaping chip design; QinetiQ will look at bridging hardware, firmware and software in modern embedded systems; and Thales will offer practical guidance on the EU Cyber Resilience Act and security-by-design. Alexia Williams MBE – Chartered Engineer, Rolls-Royce (Speaking in a personal capacity) is also among the speakers heading to Coventry.
Alongside the three main conference theatres, two dedicated workshop theatres will offer further technical sessions and focused learning across both days.
Tech Tours will give visitors another way to navigate the show, with five focused routes covering PCB Design, Power & Connectivity, Medical Device Design, Test & Measurement and Design for Manufacture, taking visitors directly to relevant exhibitors, technologies and expertise around the exhibition. Each tour will last approximately 45 minutes.
Furthermore, for visitors arriving with a manufacturing requirement, EDS has partnered with Qimtek to introduce the Qimtek Supply Chain Lounge. Qimtek will help visitors with live or upcoming projects meet potential suppliers across CNC machining, sheet metalwork, fabrication, moulding, casting, electronics and complete manufacturing solutions.
Applications in action
Bath Racing Electric, the University of Bath’s Formula Student team, will bring its student-designed racing car to EDS, offering a closer look at the work behind a competition that brings together more than 600 universities internationally. The next generation of designers will also have a platform through the returning Nottingham Trent University student showcase, while Mesh Training will give visitors the opportunity to explore immersive VR design and 3D sketching.
The all-electric Swincar will bring its spider-like independent suspension system to Coventry, designed to keep the vehicle body level as its four wheels move across challenging terrain.
Visitors can also see an electric scooter built by Tobiasz Stanford using 80 recovered disposable vape batteries, demonstrating the usable energy that can remain in batteries otherwise destined for e-waste.
In addition, Weidmüller on Wheels will bring the company’s mobile showroom to EDS for hands-on demonstrations of industrial connectivity and automation technology.
Engineering Design Awards
For the first time, the Institution of Engineering Designers’ Engineering Design Awards will take place alongside EDS on 7 October. Throughout the day, shortlisted companies and engineers will showcase their work in a dedicated Innovation Area, giving visitors the opportunity to see the projects and innovations recognised in this year’s awards.
That evening, the awards will celebrate achievement across engineering and technological product design, with engineer, author and broadcaster Dr Lucy Rogers MBE FREng delivering the keynote.
