We’re live: Welcome to the LAYR website

From ideas, conversations, and a focus group workshop with students, a clear competition format was developed. With layr-challenge.org, the LAYR Open Chip Challenge now has a central home for the first time: as a visible identity, as a platform, and as an entry point for students, educators, and partners. The launch marks an important next milestone on the journey from a prototype to a fully working design.

From workshop to idea
At the beginning, there was one simple but key question: What does an open-source chip design competition need to look like to truly excite students and help them grow both academically and practically? From these sessions, clear values and goals emerged: openness, collaboration, hands-on learning, innovation and future thinking, and community.

Based on the workshop results, the LAYR competition identity was developed — from mood boards and guiding ideas to the name itself.

The visual design combines a technical context with a modern and welcoming look. Elements inspired by printed circuit boards reference the world of microelectronics, while clear typography and small playful details, such as interactive elements, make access easier. To actively support the open-source idea, the website uses the free font Comfortaa and links to a GitHub repository where all project progress is documented openly and transparently.

The entry point to the LAYR Challenge
The website is designed as a clean one-page site and guides visitors quickly and clearly to the most important content. At the same time as the website launch, our Educator Portal also went live. It is aimed specifically at educators and makes getting started with the competition even easier. Teaching materials can be used directly, adapted, or expanded — from basic course modules to practical exercises around open-source chip design.

For students, the website shows at a glance which skills they can gain, which tools they will learn, and how participation can be integrated into their studies — including options for credit recognition and networking with industry partners. Educators will find information on teaching materials, curriculum integration, and how to include the challenge in their courses.

The next step: teams, chips, designs
The website serves as a central hub for teams at participating universities, for new partners from industry, education, and research, and for everyone interested in open hardware and chip design.

At the same time, the launch marks the transition from concept to practice:
The first LAYR Open Chip Challenge has officially started. Teams from Ruhr University Bochum, Munich University of Applied Sciences, and RheinMain University of Applied Sciences are already working on their first designs.