National biomedical engineering competition challenges students from across the country to develop technological solutions for public health.
Registration is open for the 4th edition of Biochallenge Brazil 2026, an online competition that brings together students from the fields of exact sciences, engineering, health sciences, and other related areas. With the theme "Technology for Primary Health Care," this year's challenge proposes the development of accessible, efficient projects with real impact, capable of directly contributing to strengthening basic care offered to the population through the Unified Health System (SUS).
Biochallenge is an initiative of the National Institute of Telecommunications – Inatel and has the support of the Brazilian Society of Biomedical Engineering (SBEB), following a growing trend of digitalization in the healthcare field. According to a survey by Serasa Experian and Digital Health Brazil (SDB), Conducted in 2025, 72% of teleconsultations were resolved entirely in a digital environment, while only 6% resulted in referral for in-person care or another specialty. The data highlight how the use of digital technologies is already part of the routine of primary care, reinforcing the relevance of innovative proposals such as those developed throughout the competition.
The competition is open to students in technical, undergraduate, and postgraduate programs, including specialization and master's students, as well as recent graduates with up to one year since graduation, from public and private institutions. Because it is held online, the initiative allows participation from students across the country, fostering the formation of multidisciplinary teams and expanding access to the different stages of the competition.
For Rita Elizabeth, coordinator of the competition, the initiative goes beyond academic theory. “Biochallenge Brasil allows students to face real-world demands, transformed into practical projects, and develop skills that would be difficult to acquire solely in the classroom, such as teamwork, applied innovation, and a vision of social impact,” she emphasizes. ”Participants also have the opportunity to network with professionals from the technical, health, and engineering fields, broadening their training in an integrated way,” Rita adds.
Biochallenge Brasil also stands out for its history of project continuity: in previous editions, participants transformed their ideas into startups, academic research, and outreach initiatives, reinforcing the practical and applicable nature of the competition.
The competition will be divided into three phases: @Trilha, Qualifying Rounds, and National Final. Throughout @Trilha, teams receive mentoring and participate in workshops led by engineers and healthcare professionals, who assist in the ideation and development stages of the projects. Individual guidance takes place online and covers topics such as hardware, software, health, and entrepreneurship. This stage includes two main deliverables: the first, with the project scope; and the second, with the detailed technical solution and operational flowchart.
The qualifying phase will take place between August 3rd and 6th, 2026, when participants will present their solutions in pitch format to a judging panel composed of experts in the fields of health and engineering. The evaluation considers criteria such as real demand, relevance to primary health care, social impact, innovation, technical feasibility, usability, and clarity of presentation. The qualifying teams will be announced live on August 7th and will receive an online certificate of participation.
The national final will take place on October 1st, during the Brazilian Congress of Biomedical Engineering (CBEB), in Fortaleza (CE). Each team will have five minutes to demonstrate how the project works and three minutes to present a market-focused pitch, followed by five minutes of questions from the judging panel. The three winning teams will be announced at the closing of the CBEB, on October 2nd, and will receive trophies and classification certificates.
Service
Event: Biochallenge Brazil 2026
Free registration: 09/02 to 05/04/2026
Registration for competitors: https://inatel.br/biochallengebrasil/
About Inatel
The National Institute of Telecommunications – Inatel, founded in 1965, is a center of excellence in teaching, research, and technology development. Located in Santa Rita do Sapucaí, in southern Minas Gerais, it was the first higher education institution for Telecommunications Engineering in Brazil and currently offers seven undergraduate courses, in addition to postgraduate programs. Lato sensu, Distance learning courses and Master's and Doctoral degrees in Telecommunications.
In addition to training professionals, the Institute facilitates the transfer of technology to the market and maintains strategic partnerships with national and multinational technology companies, as well as bodies such as the Ministries of Education and Science, Technology and Innovation. Since 2016, it has been the Embrapii unit responsible for supporting development and innovation in Brazil, and in 2023 it was announced as the Embrapii Center of Competence in 5G and 6G Networks. For more information, visit [website address - not provided in the text]. site.
