Best of 2025 Competition

If you are a winner, we will contact you directly via email to arrange the shipment of your prize.

Participants who receive free hardware and do not submit a project may be ineligible for future giveaways unless the hardware is returned.

If you receive free hardware and become unable to submit a project, please contact us at help@hackster.io and let us know as soon as possible. We may choose to arrange for the hardware to be shipped to another participant.

To be eligible for judging, you must meet ALL of the following requirements unless otherwise stated:

General Requirements

• You must be registered as a participant for this contest.
• Your entry must be your own original work.
• Your entry cannot have been selected as a winner in any other Hackster contest.
• Your team is no more than 5 members per entry.*

*By entering a submission to this contest on behalf of a team, you acknowledge that you are the designated representative authorized to act on behalf of your team. (See full rules below for details)

Hardware Application Requirements

Note: If you choose to submit an application for free hardware, you must meet the following requirements. If not, continue to 'Hardware/Software Build Requirements' below.

• Your hardware application must be submitted via the online application form found on the contest page’s “apply for hardware” tab.
• Your hardware application must be written in English.
• Your hardware application must solve a problem related to [contest theme]. (e.g. earth preservation)
• Your hardware application must be submitted by Jan 11, 2026 at 11:59 PM PT.

Hardware/Software Build Requirements

• Your project must be created using a dev board (SBC, MCU, or FPGA)
• Your project must solve a problem related to [contest theme]. (e.g. earth preservation)

Project Documentation Requirements

• Your project must include a project name, short project description, cover image, bill of materials (BOM), full instructions, images, and relevant resource files (schematics, code, CAD).
• Your project must be written in English.
• Your project must be submitted by May 3, 2026 at 11:59 PM PT.

Your project will be judged according to the rubric below.

• Project Documentation (20 points)
  Story/Instructions - Show how you created your project, including images, screenshots, and/or a video demonstration of your solution working as intended. Ask yourself: “If I were a beginner reading this project, would I understand how to recreate it?”
• Complete BOM (20 points)
  Detail the hardware, software and/or tools used.
• Schematics (10 points)
  Draw your circuit diagrams using software like Fritzing.org and/or take detailed photographs.
• Code & Contribution (20 points)
  Include working code with helpful comments.
• Creativity (30 points)
  Your idea doesn’t have to be original, but it should be creative (a fresh take on an old idea is often worth as much as a brand new idea).

• $500

• $500

• $500 ($495 value)

Step 1: Register for the Contest

• Start by creating a free account on Hackster.io (or sign-in if already a member).
• Register for the contest by clicking “Register as a participant”.

Step 2: Build and Document Your Project

• Build your project according to the submission requirements.
• Document your project build using Hackster’s project template. To create a new project, click “create new project” on the contest page or the “+” symbol in the top right corner of your Hackster page.

Step 3: Review and submit your project

• Review your project and make sure it meets all the submission requirements.
• Upload a previously created project by clicking “add existing project” on the contest page.
• Submit your project by May 3, 2026 at 11:59 PM PT by clicking “review and submit project” on the contest page.

Free devices winners will be announced by February 6, 2026. The list of winners will be visible on the Apply for hardware tab.

Contest winners will be announced on May 29, 2026. The list of winners will be visible on the main page (Contest brief).

You are eligible to enter if you meet the following requirements at time of entry:

• You are at least 18 years of age, or the minimum age of majority in your place of residence at the time of entry.
• You are a citizen of and reside in any country except: Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, Russia, Belarus, Sudan/South Sudan, Yemen, Venezuela, Burma (Myanmar), Libya, Afghanistan, Central African Republic, Palestine, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iraq, Somalia, Ethiopia, and Russian occupied regions of Ukraine.
• You must agree to become a verified user if selected.
• You are not involved in the execution or administration of this Contest.
• If selected as a winner you must create an account through our payment vendor The New Money Company of San Francisco, Inc.
• You are not a Hackster, Avnet or Sponsor employee or an immediate family member or household member of a Hackster employee or otherwise engaged in the execution or administration of this Contest.