About the Contest
Build Freely. Innovate Boldly.

Create what matters to you—solve a real problem, explore a wild idea, or just build something fun. The M5Stack Global Innovation Contest is your platform to turn imagination into reality using M5Stack hardware.

There's no fixed theme. We welcome all kinds of projects—practical, playful, or delightfully weird. Whether you're a hobbyist, student, engineer, or artist, show us what you can do when creativity meets code.

All you need is passion, hardware, and your boldest ideas.

Let's celebrate the power of open innovation—and the global community making it happen.

What to Build?
Anything goes—as long as it's powered by an M5Stack controller.
Your project can be:
Useful
Educational
Entertaining
Artistic
Outrageous
It can be a gadget, a game, a tool, a robot, or something
we've never seen before.
Requirements
To be eligible:
Your project must include at least one M5Stack Controller product .
Must be your original work.
Show us how your project works with photos and/or a video demo.
You can work solo or in a team (just note: there is only one prize per entry).
Each participant may submit multiple entries.
Timeline
Submission Period
MAY 19 - AUG 22
Judging Period
AUG 22 - SEPT 12
Winners Announcement
SEPT 15
Prizes
Grand Prize
(Total Value: $1,000+)
$800 travel fund to Shenzhen to attend Maker Faire and M5Stack Open Day (Mid-November)
$200 M5Stack Gift Card
Stick S3/Stopwatch (Upcoming New Product, Gold Edition)
2nd Prize
(Total Value: $200+) - 2 Winners
$200 M5Stack Gift Card
Stick S3/Stopwatch (Upcoming New Product, Gold Edition)
3rd Prize
(Total Value: $100+) - 3 Winners
$100 M5Stack Gift Card
Stick S3/Stopwatch (Upcoming New Product, Gold Edition)
Special Mentions
(e.g., Best Idea, Best Design, Funniest Build) - 10 Winners
$50 M5Stack Gift Card
Stick S3/Stopwatch (Upcoming New Product, Gold Edition)
Maker Faire Tokyo 2025 (Oct 4-5) one-day ticket x 2pcs (sponsored by Switch Science)
One Gift Pack per Person or Team
Each participating individual or team will receive one special M5Stack gift pack—featuring a tote bag, personalized T-shirt, stickers, and more!
Plus, selected projects will be showcased on M5Stack's website, social media, and community newsletter.
How to Submit
1. Submit your project on Hackster.io with the following:
Title & description
Photos and/or video demo
Build instructions or GitHub repo
List of hardware used
What makes your project special
Submit on Hackster
2. Once your project is live, fill out the submission form to officially enter the contest.
Fill the Form to Enter
*
By entering the contest, you agree to share your project with the M5Stack community. We may feature it on our website, social media, or other content channels to inspire more makers around the world!
Judging Criteria
Projects will be evaluated based on four main aspects:
Creativity & Originality
Is the idea fresh, unexpected, or delightfully clever? Does it stand out from existing solutions? How creatively does it apply M5Stack hardware?
Functionality & Execution
Does the project work as intended? Is the system stable, responsive, and thoughtfully designed? Bonus for well-structured hardware and clean code!
Documentation & Presentation
Is the project easy to understand and replicate?
Includes:
Clear build instructions (or GitHub repo)
Quality photos or video demo
Good UI/UX if applicable
Thoughtful explanation of how M5Stack was used
Impact & Usefulness
Does it solve a real-world problem or spark joy in an unexpected way? Is the idea scalable, educational, or inspiring to others in the maker community?
Judges
Jimmy Lai
Jimmy Lai is the founder and CEO of M5Stack. With a solid engineering background, he is dedicated to driving innovation in the IoT space. Under his leadership, M5Stack has built a reputation for rapid product development—releasing new hardware every week—and delivering modular, developer-friendly solutions that accelerate the path from idea to deployment.
Masakazu Takasu
Masakazu Takasu is a Japanese maker, working at Switch Science, where he contributes to international business development and promotes opensource hardware. He is also the founder and CEO of Maker Ecosystem Ltd., and an active advocate for the maker movement in Shenzhen. Takasu currently serves as a research fellow at Waseda University.
Julio Della Flora
Cybersecurity Expert, Educator & Researcher. Computer Science graduate and Master's in Information Science, specializing in Computer Networks, Data Security, and Higher Education Teaching. Over a decade of experience as a professor for undergraduate and postgraduate programs (Unopar, Unifil, F.A.G, Vincit), teaching Information Security, Digital Electronics, and measurement systems.
Danko Bertović
Danko Bertović, aka Volos from Croatia, is the creator behind the YouTube channel Volos Projects. A computer science graduate and elementary school IT teacher, he shares fun and inventive ESP32-based builds—often using M5Stack devices. From music to code, Danko's passion for creative tinkering shines in every project.
Need help? We've got your back!
Building something cool doesn't mean doing it alone. During the contest, you can get support from the M5Stack community and our team in a few ways:
Check out our Docs & Tutorials on docs.m5stack.com for hardware guides and sample code
Explore demo videos and examples on our YouTube channel
Join the conversation on the Hackster contest page discussion board
Hop into our Discord server to chat with other makers and ask the M5Stack team directly
Q&A — Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I submit a project that I previously published on Hackster?
A: We encourage innovation, but yes — you can submit a project created in 2025, even if it has already been published on Hackster.
2. Can I join the contest if I'm using a UnitV that's not listed in the controller classification?
A: Absolutely! All M5Stack devices are welcome—including UnitV, UnitV2, CM4, AX630, LLM630, MP135, and any other models based on ESP32. Feel free to join the contest and showcase your creativity!