Hardware Pioneers Max has moved to the ExCeL London in Docklands for its 2026 edition, marking a significant expansion for the embedded systems and Edge AI sector as it responds to growing industrial demand for deployable, production-ready hardware.
The event now expects more than 6,000 attendees, 250 exhibitors, and 100 speakers. The relocation from Islington reflects not only scale, but a shift in emphasis: from showcasing components to addressing the constraints of system-level deployment in real-world environments.
“From the latest wireless modules and memory chips to cutting-edge AI processors, embedded camera modules, and single-board computers, hundreds of electronic technologies will be showcased at Hardware Pioneers Max 2026,” says Fabiano Bellisario.
Edge AI remains central to the programme, with contributions from Arm and DEEPX, alongside discussions led by the Edge AI Foundation. However, the focus has shifted. Model performance is increasingly assumed. The harder question is whether systems can operate within real-world constraints once deployed.
Those constraints are becoming more clearly defined. Power budgets, thermal limits, latency, and bandwidth are now treated as primary design inputs rather than downstream considerations. The gap between laboratory performance and field performance remains a recurring issue, with systems often behaving differently once exposed to scale, variability, and environmental uncertainty.
Energy efficiency is emerging as a parallel constraint shaping system architecture. The expansion of power electronics across the exhibition reflects a wider recognition that compute growth is increasingly limited by energy availability and heat dissipation rather than processing capability alone.
Jalal Bagherli, co-chair of the UK Semiconductor Advisory Panel and former chief executive of Dialog Semiconductor, is one of the event’s key speakers. He highlights the strategic role of power systems in AI infrastructure, particularly in the UK:“Power electronics for data centres is a sector that is seeing explosive growth driven by AI demand, and one in which the UK can become a global leader in. With over 500 data centres, a strong engineering ecosystem, and expertise in compound semiconductors, the UK is well-positioned to lead the development of wide bandgap technologies for the next generation of energy-efficient data centres.”
The implication is that AI scalability is increasingly constrained by energy infrastructure as much as compute capability. Efficiency is becoming a hard boundary condition for system design, elevating power electronics and materials science closer to the centre of computing strategy.
That constraint is more visible still in deployed industrial systems, where physical access, connectivity, and environment impose additional limits.
Another key speaker, Dan Ambrose of Ground Control, describes the challenge of remote monitoring at scale:“If a sensor fails in the forest, and nobody is around, does it make a sound?” he asks. “You cannot simply inspect it. In some cases, it may require several days of travel and a helicopter. Remote monitoring is therefore essential, particularly where cellular coverage is unavailable or unreliable. In practice, satellite connectivity becomes the only viable option.”
His point is that intelligence at the Edge is only useful if it remains observable under constraints of distance, bandwidth, and access.
At the same time, risk is becoming more visible in areas that traditionally sat outside core engineering design. Daniel Grundy of Jaguar Land Rover will argue that lifecycle risk now extends well beyond component availability.“Counterfeits pose a risk far higher than a line stop or programme delay – they can result in catastrophic failures, product recalls, and severe loss of reputation,” he says.
Counterfeit components can enter supply chains at multiple stages and remain undetected until failure in the field. In complex systems, the impact may only become visible after deployment, making detection and prevention more difficult than traditional supply disruptions.
Addressing this requires cross-functional verification across engineering, supply chain, quality assurance, and compliance. Traceability and validation are becoming embedded requirements rather than post-hoc checks.
Taken together, these developments point to a structural shift in the industry. As hardware systems become more software-defined and distributed, risk emerges from interactions across the full system stack rather than from individual components.
The result is a redefinition of the sector’s central challenge: not what can be built, but what can be sustained under real-world conditions.
That perspective also extends into emerging areas such as neurotechnology. As Dorian Haci, who will also speak at the event, puts it: “Every technological revolution has been powered by its semiconductors. Neurotech is next, where technology meets directly with the human nervous system. We are just getting started.”
ARROW ELECTRONICS TO SHOWCASE POWER AND INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS AT HARDWARE PIONEERS 2026
Arrow Electronics will demonstrate how power and embedded intelligence are coming together to enable more efficient, connected electronic systems at Hardware Pioneers 2026.
As system complexity increases, engineers are moving beyond individual components to fully integrated designs. At booth L8, Arrow will showcase solutions that combine advanced power architectures with Edge processing and connectivity to improve performance and efficiency.
Working with leading suppliers, alongside its engineering capabilities such as eInfochips, Arrow supports customers from concept through to production. These technologies are enabling applications from predictive maintenance to energy-efficient infrastructure.
Arrow will also contribute to the conference programme with expert-led sessions exploring these themes in more detail.
Speaking sessions
• 10th June, 10:40–11:10 – Conference Theatre 2
“How the Cyber Resilience Act influences MCU / SoC / FPGA selection” – Gavin Lofts, Altera
• 10th June, 14:00–14:30 – Conference Theatre 2
“Beyond the Datasheet: How Real Power Designs Get Built When Requirements Don’t Fit the Parts” – Rawad Kuwidir, eInfochips
For more information, visit: Arrow Electronics Hardware Pioneers Event Page
About Arrow Electronics
Arrow Electronics sources and engineers technology solutions for thousands of leading manufacturers and service providers. With 2025 sales of $31 billion, Arrow’s portfolio enables technology across major industries and markets.
PICO TECHNOLOGY LAUNCHES ULTRA-LOW NOISE PICOSCOPE 5000E SERIES 16-BIT OSCILLOSCOPES
For decades, design engineers have faced a frustrating compromise when selecting an oscilloscope: choose a fast 8-bit scope that lacks the sensitivity to detect microvolt-level changes, or opt for a precise instrument too slow to capture rapid transient events.
Pico Technology bridges this gap with the PicoScope 5000E Series, the world’s first four-channel USB oscilloscope to offer native 16-bit resolution alongside a high dynamic range.
By delivering 256 times more vertical detail than a standard 8-bit scope, this device allows engineers to visualize minute ripple, noise, and distortion, even when those subtle millivolt transitions are superimposed on larger DC voltages.
With an ultra-low noise floor of just 22 µV RMS and an exceptional greater than 73 dB spurious-free dynamic range (SFDR), the 5000E Series ensures that the smallest-amplitude signals remain clear and measurable.
For applications demanding ultimate flexibility, the PicoScope 5000E Plus models incorporate innovative FlexRes® technology, effectively offering two scopes in one. Engineers can prioritize precision with 16-bit mode or switch to 8-bit mode to release the scope’s full speed, achieving up to 500 MHz bandwidth and a 5 GS/s sampling rate.
This performance is supported by 2 GS of ultra-deep capture memory, allowing the device to maintain maximum sampling rates for a full 200 ms. Whether looking for elusive intermittent timing errors or debugging long-duration power sequencing, this deep memory ensures nanosecond time resolution without compromising the capture window.
Packaged in a highly portable, USB-C powered design, the 5000E Series replaces bulky benchtop equipment with lab-grade performance.
Furthermore, it includes the powerful PicoScope 7 software, featuring more than 40 serial protocol decoders, advanced math channels, and mask limit testing as standard, delivering an unmatched investment for the modern engineering workspace.
This article originally appeared in the May 2026 magazine issue of IoT Insider.
