This is B2B Robot Fighting: Accu presents FightFest at Smart Manufacturing Week 2026

“This is easily the most dramatic thing ever at an engineering trade show!"

Alastair Morris

Managing Director at Accu

Smart Manufacturing Week brings together the best of UK manufacturing - technologies, people and ideas shaping the future of industry under one roof.

The challenge for exhibitors isn’t relevance — it’s standing out in a busy, high-quality environment.

Engineering brands spend years refining products, platforms and positioning — then show them in rows of stands that look and sound the same.

For 2026, Accu is adding a new live feature designed to enhance that experience for exhibitors and visitors alike; controlled chaos…

On 3rd to 4th June 2026, at Smart Manufacturing Week (SMW) at the NEC, Birmingham, Accu will present FightFest - a live combat robotics tournament built to add energy, drama and an exciting shared talking point to the show floor.

It’s the perfect collaborative feature for forward-thinking exhibitors who want to amplify their SMW presence.

Think Formula 1 meets combat robotics — engineered to draw attention, spark conversation and pull audiences deeper into the event.

This isn’t a tech demo. It’s a fight for glory, bragging rights and the spotlight.

Built on a proven partnership

FightFest at SMW 2026 builds on an established multi-year collaboration between Accu and FightFest, already proven with live audiences beyond the exhibition environment.

In summer 2024, Accu collaborated with the team behind FightFest to bring combat robotics to the Magna Science Adventure Centre in South Yorkshire, where over 2,000 spectators experienced the sport first-hand.

The format demonstrated its ability to engage technical audiences, hold attention and complement a broader visitor experience - creating a buzz for engineers and hobbyists alike.

The response was clear: when precision engineering meets competitive theatre, people stop, watch and share.

SMW 2026 takes that foundation and scales it up, placing FightFest at the heart of the UK’s flagship manufacturing event as a feature designed to add value to the event as a whole, supporting exhibitor visibility and visitor engagement.

“We’re changing the game in a way that just happens to be ridiculously cool”

Ed Hodges

Director at FightFest Ltd

A powerful addition to Accu & other engineering brand’s SMW presence

FightFest is a 1v1 combat robotics tournament, staged inside a purpose-built, bulletproof arena, featuring robots designed and built by engineers from BBC’s Robot Wars.

Expect 200mph weapons, advanced control systems, and modern combat robotics technology running at full capacity and all delivered live, safely and professionally on the show floor.

For existing and potential exhibitors, the event Accu & FightFest are presenting acts as an electrifying opportunity to amplify an existing SMW presence.

Between bouts, the action doesn’t stop.

Live interviews with teams and leadership, technical insight, and instant replays will run on the huge overhead screens, keeping the crowd locked in from first hit to final knockout.

By sponsoring a FightFest robot & its accompanying pit lane, exhibitors can:

• Raise profile within a busy exhibition hall

• Add drama and memorability to their stand activity

• Create a natural talking point that draws visitors into deeper conversations

• Align with innovation, performance and real-world engineering credibility

*Accu branded robot used to illustrate the concept of sponsor-branded robots that will compete at FightFest in June at Smart Manufacturing Week 2026.

There are five exclusive sponsorship opportunities - designed for engineering brands already exhibiting at SMW who want to extend their presence through a shared, high-impact feature.

“The most ambitious exhibition event… ever!”

Henry Anson

Director at NineteenGroup (Organisers of Smart Manufacturing Week)

Designed for engagement — live and beyond

Every fight is supported by a full production setup:

• 8-camera production

• 25+ crew members

• Live action, replays and interviews shown on two 16m² overhead screens

• Over 5 hours of raw event footage post event

• Content ready to cut and deploy across socials, leading to long term impact

With 15,000 attendees and 450+ exhibitors expected at SMW 2026, FightFest is set to become one of the event’s most recognisable features. Content will be captured and distributed post-event, extending reach well beyond the NEC, with an estimated 750,000+ global views across all channels.

FightFest reflects what Smart Manufacturing Week stands for: collaboration, innovation and making modern engineering engaging, visible and memorable. The tournament promises to be the most dramatic, ambitious and talked-about exhibit SMW has ever seen.

This is not just a stand. It’s a stage set for the story people will actually want to watch.

It’s nearly time to chase glory & live the story.