Fixstars Launches Student Programming Competition “Speedup Contest 2026”
Second Edition Challenges Students to Push Hardware and Algorithm Performance
IRVINE, California — February 17, 2026 — Fixstars Corporation (TSE Prime: 3687, US Headquarters: Irvine, CA), a global leader in performance engineering, is proud to announce the launch of the Fixstars Speedup Contest 2026. Starting February 19, 2026, students from around the world are invited to compete in a high-stakes challenge to develop the fastest program possible.
In this contest, participants will create a program to execute a specific task defined in the problem statement. Each entry will be executed in a standardized environment provided by Fixstars, with processing times measured and displayed on a real-time leaderboard. The "Main Competition," reserved exclusively for students, offers a top prize of 500,000 JPY. An "Exhibition" category is also available for non-students who wish to test their skills against the leaderboard.
About Performance Engineering and Speed Optimization
Achieving peak processing speed requires more than just algorithmic improvements; it demands a deep understanding of hardware characteristics to achieve integrated optimization. This specialized field is known as Performance Engineering. Through this contest, Fixstars aims to provide aspiring engineers with an opportunity to experience the depth and excitement of high-performance computing.
Contest Overview: Fixstars Speedup Contest 2026
This marks the second edition of the student-focused competition following its successful debut in 2024. Official Website: https://fixstars-contest.com/
Schedule (Japan Standard Time)
| February 17, 2026 | Registration Opens |
| February 19, 2026, 6:00 PM | Submission Period Starts |
| March 2, 2026, 6:00 PM | Submission/Registration Deadline |
| Mid-March 2026 | Results Announcement |
Eligibility
| Main Competition | Participants must be students (University, Graduate School, Vocational College, etc.) and must be residents of Japan at the time of registration. |
| Exhibition | No restrictions. |
Prizes (Main Competition Only)
| 1st Place | 500,000 JPY |
| 2nd Place | 200,000 JPY |
| 3rd Place | 100,000 JPY |
| 4th Place | 50,000 JPY |
| 5th Place | 10,000 JPY |
Notes:
- Exhibition participants are not eligible for the Main Competition leaderboard or prizes.
- Employees, part-time workers, and interns of Fixstars Corporation (as of February 2026) are ineligible for both categories.
- Please refer to the official website for full rules and technical specifications.
About Fixstars Corporation
Fixstars is a technology company guided by the corporate message "Speed up your AI." By leveraging advanced software optimization techniques that maximize computational resources, Fixstars achieves overwhelming speedups in both AI model inference and training processes. We drive the evolution of next-generation AI across various fields, including healthcare, manufacturing, finance, and mobility. For more information, visit: https://www.fixstars.com/