Top engineering firms back STEM competition

EngineeringUK has announced that Thales will join Siemens as a key supporter for the top awards at The Big Bang UK Young Scientists & Engineers Competition. For the first time, Thales will sponsor the UK Young Engineer of the Year award, while Siemens returns to back the UK Young Technologist of the Year award. The UK Young Scientist of the Year award will also be contested, alongside a range of special awards supported by leading industry partners.

The Big Bang Competition invites students aged 11 to 18 from state-funded schools, home education or community groups to enter a STEM project that builds confidence and teamwork. Participants can explore any science, technology, engineering or maths topic that sparks their curiosity. This year introduces a new challenge: students will be asked to consider how their projects could impact people, communities and the environment, encouraging ethical thinking in their designs. Every entrant receives feedback from STEM professionals to help refine their skills.

Phillip McShane, associate director of the Big Bang at EngineeringUK, said: “We’re delighted to share the latest partnership for The Big Bang Competition. Working with supporters like Thales and Siemens will allow us to reach and inspire more young people to develop a passion for science, engineering and technology. We’re looking forward to working closely with them as we look to crown our big winners of 2026.”

James Mackay, head of STEM in the UK at Thales, said: “At Thales, we are proud to sponsor Big Bang Competition because it aligns with our core mission — to inspire innovation and build a future we can all trust. The creativity and determination we see from young people here remind us that the next big breakthrough could come from anyone. Supporting these future innovators is truly exciting for everyone at Thales.” Thales is also supporting the fifth annual Tomorrow’s Engineers Live conference on 10 February 2026, an event that brings the engineering community together to share, learn and innovate in outreach and engagement.

Real-world STEM problems
The winners of The Big Bang Competition will be announced at a spectacular awards ceremony during The Big Bang Fair, which returns to the NEC from 9 to 11 June 2026. This flagship event offers school groups hands-on STEM activities and interactive exhibits. Mark Wood, social sustainability lead for Great Britain and Ireland at Siemens, said: “The Big Bang Competition is a truly equitable way to inspire the next generation to put their ideas and creative thinking into solving real-world STEM problems. The imagination and passion we see in these projects is awe-inspiring and Siemens are immensely proud to support these young minds, nurture their interests and ambitions around using technology to solve contemporary problems.”

Other awards include the IHEEM Innovation in Wellbeing and Healthcare Engineering Award, a fully funded place at the 67th London International Youth Science Forum, the ECITB Teamwork Award, the Intellectual Property Office Innovation Award and the EUK Education Teacher Award. Previous winning projects have ranged from an automatic pill dispenser to an alternative telecommunications system for emergency communications, and even an investigation into the physics behind karate.

To help teachers and students, the free Big Bang Challenge resource provides step-by-step guidance for creating and developing STEM projects. Themes include AI and robotics, extreme weather and air quality, bringing exciting STEM concepts to life in the classroom.

Entries for The Big Bang UK Young Scientists and Engineers Competition 2026 are now open. For details on supporting the competition or exhibiting at The Big Bang Fair, email .