2019 China-US Young Maker Competition

The challenge

Welcome to the 2019 China-US Young Maker Competition!

Hackster is hosting the 2019 US based semi-final China-US Young Maker Competition!

Do you have an idea that would make a more sustainable, efficient and interconnected tomorrow? We are calling upon innovative US and China makers to submit project ideas focusing on community development, education, environmental protection, health & fitness, energy, transportation or other areas of sustainable development.

We've sweetened the pot for anyone who joins the 2019 China-US Young Maker Competition! Register now for a chance and you'll be randomly entered to receive one of 10 $100 Adafruit gift cards.

The top ten projects selected will be invited to fly to Beijing, China as semi-finalists for the final competition, organized by the China Ministry of Education, held July 22-26th, 2019. The all-expenses-paid trip is applicable to the individual contributor or up to five members of a team. Final prizes are no joke either. You can win up to $15,000 for first place, $7,500 for second, or $5,000 for third… along with international bragging rights! Just read a few of these testimonials from last years' winners:

"It was a great event that all the Makers in US should participate in, you get to see not only what US makers are focusing on but also what Chinese makers are making as well!" - Peter Ma (Beijing finalist 2nd place)

"The US-China Young Maker Competition was an incredible chance to present my project to an international audience and interact with the best and brightest people in China. I met US/Chinese diplomats, students from Chinese universities, and makers from all across the United States!" - Alex Wulff (Beijing Finalist)

"The competition was really great! We had a blast at the Great Wall and the food was amazing." - Devin Mui (Beijing finalist)

Can't make it to Beijing? No problem! There are 35 additional chances to win Google prizes by submitting your project to this platform by May 26th.

The best part? No restrictions on hardware or technology.

We recommend using open source technologies like TensorFlow, TensorFlow Lite (for Mobile & IoT), TensorFlow.js (for JavaScript), Android Things, Mobile OS: Android, AIY, Coral, Flutter and Angular. In fact, there are no limitations on the hardware, software or cloud services used. This is the perfect opportunity to submit those off-the-wall ideas that didn’t fit the mold of contests past!

See submissions guidelines below.

*Please be aware that some platforms may not be accessible in China.

China-US Young Maker Competition Stages:

Stage 1 : Individuals/teams must submit projects to this contest page for judging. The top 10 US individuals/teams will be selected for the next stage.

Stage 2: From June to mid-July, selected individuals/teams will refine their projects and apply for their Chinese tourist visa (costs will be reimbursed).

Stage 3: Selected individuals/teams will join the final competition in Beijing, China, July 22nd-26th , 2019 for a chance to win cold, hard cash.

Opportunities in China for Finalists

• Round-trip airfare, visas, hotels and meals for up to five team members
• Individuals/Teams can participate on a Beijing tour July 23rd

How to Submit Your Idea:

• Must be a legal resident of the United States between the ages of 18-40.
• Create a free Hackster.io account.
• Register to participate in this contest by clicking "Register as a Participant."
• Post a short demo video with your submission.
• Finish by submitting a complete project. Click "Submit my final entry."

*Are you a Chinese-based innovator? Submit your idea to the Chinese competition site for a chance to head to the finals!

Prizes

Grand Prize

10 winners

Grand Prize: Trip to the Final Competition

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$4,000 value

You and your team will win an all-expense-paid trip to Beijing, China to compete in the final competition.

Most Creative - US Based Project

Most creative projects submitted to US based semi-final competition.

5 winners

Coral Dev Board

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$149 value

Judges Choice - US Based Project

The projects that impress our judges the most in the US based semi-final competition.

10 winners

Coral USB Accelerator

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$74 value

Most Practical - US Based Project

The projects that are considered the most practical in the US based semi-final competition.

20 winners

Google AIY Voice Kit

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$25 value

Judges

Adam Benzion

Founder, CEO of Hackster.io

Adam Benzion calls himself an accidental hardware entrepreneur who founded and sold a hardware startup, then shipped products from CES booths to Best Buy shelves. Understanding that “hardware is hard”, he ended up as the Co-founder and CEO of Hackster.io, the platform for learning and building hardware. Adam is a Microsoft alumni and enjoys his rainy Seattle.

Bill Luan

Senior Program Manager at the Google Coral team

Bill is responsible for managing developer outreach and partner engagement programs, as well as promoting AI innovations using AIY and Coral products. Prior to this role, Bill worked as a regional lead for the Greater China region market at the Developer Relations team in Google managing developer programs since 2008. Bill has been working in the high-tech industry in the U.S. for 34 years, organized many technology trainings for developers, built many GDG communities, and also a frequent speaker at many technology conferences. Bill is a recipient of the Alumni Hall of Fame award from his alma mater Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville where he graduated with BSEE and MSEE degrees and also serves on its Technology Advisory Board.

Aaron Cunningham

Global Makerspace Lead

Aaron is the global makerspace lead at Google. Leading a team of over 120 makerspace coordinators, he focuses on Googler engagement and growth at over 40 makerspaces in Google offices around the world. Aaron oversees all aspects including budgets, safety, training, and the sharing of best practices to foster and encourage making as a means of driving innovation across Google. Previously, he was a technical program manager and unmanned test pilot for Project Wing at X. Before joining Google, Aaron spent six years building technical solutions for defense and homeland security training programs.

Resources

About us