Oxidize XIAO — An Embedded Rust Community Program
A community giveaway program by The Embedded Rustacean × Seeed Studio to grow the embedded Rust ecosystem
Update (October 2026): The Quarterly Build Challenge has ended after its first cycle (Q3 2026). The Monthly Subscriber Giveaway continues as before. Thank you to everyone who took part.
The Status Quo 🚧
Embedded Rust is powerful, but getting started can be tough. Navigating the Rust language and embedded ecosystem can be challenging enough; add to that the traditional challenges of embedded development. Special tooling (cross-compiling, logging, debugging, etc.), overwhelming hardware choices, and limited learning resources compared to other embedded ecosystems. That's a barrier to adoption, and it's limiting Rust's potential in embedded.
We believe two things will drive embedded Rust forward:
Making it easier to start. More content, better tooling, and a consistent hardware reference that learners can rely on. No more guessing which board to buy, spending significant time wiring or setting up tools and projects.
Getting adopters to contribute back. Every driver written, every tutorial published, every tool built by the community compounds. Growth fuels more growth. What makes Rust unique among languages used in embedded systems is its passionate open-source community. The question should not only be whether one should learn embedded Rust, but also where or how they can contribute to improving it.
Introducing Oxidize XIAO 🌱🦀
To tackle this, we're launching Oxidize XIAO. Oxidize XIAO is a community rewards program by The Embedded Rustacean (TER), Seeed Studio, & JetBrains.
The name says it all. We want to oxidize XIAO with Rust.
At the heart of Oxidize XIAO sit two platforms: µFerris, an open-source learning board designed specifically for embedded Rust education, and the Seeed Studio XIAO, a family of compact, powerful microcontroller modules. Together, they offer an affordable, well-documented foundation for learning and building.
Here's what the program offers:
- Free hardware, tools, and books — given away every month to active community members
The goal is not just to give things away. We aim to create a cycle where learning leads to building, building leads to contribution, and contribution fuels more learning for everyone.
How It Works 🔍
Oxidize XIAO runs a Monthly Subscriber Giveaway offering a prize valued at more than $350. Read on for the details.
Monthly Subscriber Giveaway 🎁
Every month, we will draw one TER newsletter subscriber to win an embedded Rust starter pack.
To enter, you need to:
Be an active subscriber to The Embedded Rustacean newsletter
Answer the monthly discovery question (included in each newsletter edition)
The prize pack (> $350 in value):
A µFerris Baseboard ($25 Value)
A Seeed Studio XIAO module (Up to $15 in Value)
A JetBrains All Products Pack 1-year License — includes CLion for embedded Rust development ($299 Value)
A Free eBook copy of Simplified Embedded Rust (edition of your choice) ($30 Value)
A winner is drawn at the end of each month. Winners are announced in the newsletter and on social media channels.
Rules & Eligibility ⚖️
General
You must be an active subscriber to The Embedded Rustacean newsletter at the time of the draw. If you unsubscribe before the draw, your entry is void.
One entry per person per month. Duplicate or fake entries are disqualified.
Open worldwide. Shipping to your country must be feasible — if it isn't, we'll work with you on an alternative.
Prizes cannot be exchanged for cash or substituted.
Winners are announced in the newsletter and contacted via their subscriber email.
You must respond within 7 days of the winner announcement to claim your prize, or a new winner will be drawn.
Monthly Subscriber Giveaway
The discovery question must be answered in the same edition(s) as the draw.
Previous monthly winners can enter again after a 3-month cooldown.
Privacy
By entering, you agree that your name may be announced publicly as a winner through TER channels (newsletter, social media, blog).
Your email is used only for newsletter delivery, prize fulfillment, and winner contact. We never sell or share subscriber data with third parties.
FAQ ❓
Q: Do I need to buy anything to enter? No. Subscribe for free, and you're eligible for the monthly draw.
Q: How are monthly winners chosen? Random draw from all eligible entries that month. We use AI for the draw process.
Q: I'm outside the US/EU — can I still win? Yes, the program is global. If shipping to your location isn't possible, we'll arrange an alternative.
Proudly sponsored by The Embedded Rustacean, Seeed Studio, and JetBrains.
Ready to Oxidize XIAO?
Join the community. Build something. Win something.
Subscribe to The Embedded Rustacean, and you're in.
Questions? hi@theembeddedrustacean.com
About the author
- I am an 📟 Embedded Engineer with years of experience in both industry 🏭 and academia 🏫. Passionate Mentor 👨💼 and Instructor 👨🏫. Rustacean 🦀
Comments
Join the discussionI get that you're trying to grow the community, but it sucks that you have to refer two people. I don't know one person who is even remotely interested in embedded development, let alone embedded Rust, heck I don't even know anyone interestetd in development of any kind. Am I alone in this?
Thanks for the honest feedback Michael Risser . I totally hear you.
Here's the thinking behind it: this program is sponsored. The prizes are also funded by partners who believe in growing the embedded Rust community. Referrals are a mechanism to show that growth is happening. It's what keeps the program alive and the sponsors committed. There are many ways to refer others, and it doesn't necessarily have to be face-to-face or to individuals you know.
That said, there is also the Quarterly Build Challenge, which has no referral requirement. Build a project with any XIAO board and Rust, share it publicly, and you're entered for the even larger prize pack.
We'll certainly keep monitoring the feedback and making adjustments as the program evolves.
Michael Risser quick update: based on more feedback, we've simplified the monthly draw. Referrals are no longer required. Just stay subscribed and answer the discovery question to be eligible.
