Ref. no.: 150 

The 2026 MATE ROV Competition World Championship will welcome top student teams from around the world to St. John’s, N.L., Canada, from June 25-27.  

Now in its 24th year, the internationally recognized competition brings together student innovators to showcase their skills in engineering, technology, teamwork and problem-solving.  

Hosted by the Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University and the National Research Council Canada, the event marks the culmination of a global competition season, convening the top teams from countries around the globe, including North America, Europe, Asia and beyond. 

Each year, the MATE ROV Competition selects a theme that reflects real-world scenarios and industry-driven mission tasks. This year’s theme aligns with the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-30) and highlights the Decade of Action for Cryospheric Sciences (2025-34), focusing on the unique challenges of operating in cold, dynamic and extreme ocean environments.  

Hosting the world championship in St. John’s enables these challenges to be staged in realistic conditions through access to world-class technology facilities. At the Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University, teams will operate in the world’s largest flume tank — a 1.7-million-litre facility designed to simulate real ocean currents — marking one of the most advanced controlled testing environments ever used in competition history. At the National Research Council Canada, teams will engage with advanced testing environments, including a wave basin that replicates offshore conditions and a specialized ice tank designed to model Arctic and under-ice environments. Together, these facilities create an authentic, industry-aligned competition setting that reinforces the technical rigor and real-world relevance of the MATE ROV competition.  

“We’re excited to bring the 2026 MATE ROV Competition World Championship back to Newfoundland and Labrador for a third time,” said Joe Singleton, head of the School of Ocean Technology at the Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University. "The MATE competition is an amazing opportunity for students to develop and showcase their skills in science, technology and engineering. We are proud to have the opportunity to further student engagement in the competition and introduce the next generation of leaders to the opportunities available in the ocean technology sector.” 

Teams will map and document cold-water coral ecosystems, deploy and service subsea monitoring technologies, support offshore energy systems and conduct under-ice data collection. In addition to in-water performance, the competition requires teams to operate as startup companies: developing technical documentation, managing budgets, presenting marketing displays and delivering engineering presentations to a panel of industry professionals.  

“The students continue to impress with their problem-solving ability and professionalism,” said Jill Zande, executive director of MATE at Marine Technology Society. MATE is an initiative of the Washington, D.C.-based society. “The world championship is a powerful platform for developing workforce-ready skills, expediting students' preparation for the workplace through real-world application and inspiring entrepreneurship. Hosting the event in St. John’s places students at the intersection of innovation, industry and future opportunity. We’re grateful to our regional partners in St. John’s for their support in making this experience possible.”  

The public is encouraged to follow the event and celebrate the next generation of problem-solvers and innovators. Activities will take place across multiple venues in St. John’s, including the Marine Institute and partner facilities. Visit the website for more information, including a complete list of competing teams and program sponsors. 

Watch the competition live via Twitch. 

About MATE ROV Competition

Established with funding from the National Science Foundation at Monterey Peninsula College in 1997, the Marine Advanced Technology Education (MATE) Center worked with the Marine Technology Society’s ROV Committee to create the MATE ROV Competition. The first event kicked off in 2001. Fifteen years later, MATE Inspiration for Innovation (MATE II) was incorporated in the state of California as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization in 2016. MATE II was founded to support and sustain ongoing education activities initiated at the MATE Center. In July 2023, MATE II initiated the next phase of its journey by becoming an integral part of the Marine Technology Society’s lineup of program offerings. Through this partnership, MATE and MTS have fostered connections and bridged the gap between today’s professionals and future innovators in marine technology. Learn more.  

About Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University

The Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University is Canada’s most comprehensive centre for education, training, applied research and industrial support for the ocean industries. The institute has three schools — the School of Fisheries, the School of Maritime Studies and the School of Ocean Technology — and a number of specialized centres and units within the schools. 

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MEDIA CONTACTS

Chelsea Bladow

Communications manager | Marine Technology Society

chelsea.bladow@mtsociety.org | (202)-827-7172 | mtsociety.org

 

Elizabeth Furey
Manager, communications and media relations, Memorial University
elizabeth.furey@mun.ca | (709)-770-3743