2025 Heltec Maker Contest (Pinned)
Calling all tinkerers, hackers, and makers from around the world! The first global Heltec Maker Contest is here—time to showcast your wildest ideas and excellent projects.
If you've got a brilliant idea, a fascinating discovery, or an interesting setup in special scenario- this is your stage. Whether it's an alpha prototype or polished project, solo or team effort-we want to see your creativity with Heltec hardware.
Ranking Awards
| Ranking | Awards |
|---|---|
| 1st prize | 1,000$ cash + exclusive trophy + Heltec’s “Maker Hall of Fame". |
| 2st prize | 700$ cash + trophy + Heltec’s “Maker Hall of Fame". |
| 3rd prize | 400$ cash + trophy + Heltec’s “Maker Hall of Fame". |
| Participation*1 | 15% discount coupon on Heltec website with no threshold and valid for one year |
Only the approved application will receive the discount coupon. And the approved projects will be displayed. As long as your project have one of Heltec product and it's clear for us to review, you'll likely to pass, so what are you waiting for?
These prizes are awarded per project, not per person. For example, a team of 5 winning First Prize will still receive USD 1,000 total.
Our mission?
Ignite creativity, expand the maker community, and celebrate fearless innovation. No limits. No fear. Just your vision, your hacks, and your inner geek.
Are you ready to take the challenge?
Who Can Participate:
- Open to individuals or teams
- Any project using Heltec products (past or present)
- Open to all industries — including but not limited to:
- Smart Cities & Infrastructure: traffic monitoring, smart street lighting, public safety, energy-efficient buildings, etc.
- Industrial IoT (IIoT): predictive maintenance, factory automation, supply chain optimization, etc.
- Agriculture: precision farming, soil and water monitoring, automated irrigation, weather stations, etc.
- Home automation: smart appliances, home security systems, personal health monitors, wearable devices, etc.
- Healthcare & Education: remote patient monitoring, telemedicine devices, etc.
- Mobility & Transportation: smart logistics, vehicle tracking, traffic flow optimization, emergency, etc.
Timeline:
- 1️⃣ Registration & Project Submission (Sep 29 – Dec 10)
- 2️⃣ Project Evaluation (Dec 10 – Dec 15)
- 3️⃣ Rankings Announcement: Dec 15
- Top projects revealed.
- Additional prize delivery info will be requested (banking/shipping).
- 4️⃣ Get your Awards (Dec 15 – Dec 24)
- Prizes distributed within 7–15 days, just in time for the holidays.
How It Works
- 1: Registration & Application
- 2: Review & Approval
- 3: Evaluation
Registration & Application (Sep 29 – Dec 10)
- Register an account at Heltec Automation, and participant on this page.
- Fork Heltec Wi-Ki repository, and clone the forked project into local.
- Your project docs formart please refer to: Maker Contest Content Format Template;
- More detailed usage documentation please refer to: Contest Content Template Usage Guide
- You can update or edit your submission anytime before Dec 10.
Review & Approval
- Our team will review via Gitthub after we receive your application.
- Once we merged your PR, your project will be displayed in this page.
And you’ll also get notified with your 15% off discount, once approved. (One time use per participant )
Evaluation (Dec 10 – Dec 15)
The evaluation results will be jointly decided by :
- Community votes & views: 30%
- Heltec R&D team: 40%
- Special guest experts: 30%
Interested in being a judge for this contest? Email Sabrina@heltec.cn with a brief introduction explaining why you want to be a judge and your job role.
Evaluation Criteria:
- Innovation & Creativity: Originality, novelty, and creative breakthroughs.
- Usability: Intuitive interface, smooth operation, and accessibility for general users.
- Practical Value: Tangible impact on real-world problems or scenarios.
- Technical Integration: Depth of Heltec product adoption and overall system integration.
- Solution Effectiveness: Measurable improvements or problem-solving efficiency.
- Social Impact: Benefit to users or industry, real-world usefulness.
- Submission Requirements: Ensure all files comply with size, format, and submission instructions. Projects must be original, respect third-party rights, and comply with Heltec contest rules.
- Copyright & IP: By applying this contest, all participants agree to Heltec’s right to promote, display, and share project content.
- Promotion: Heltec will showcase projects via official website, partner media, and social channels; participants are encouraged to share their journey online to maximize exposure.