Eligibility

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

• You are a hobbyist or professional in the field of technology development; and
• If you are considered a minor in your place of residence, then you should ask your parent’s or legal guardian’s permission prior to submitting an entry into this challenge.
• You are NOT a resident of Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, or Syria; and
• US. export regulations prohibit the export of goods and services to Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan and Syria. Therefore residents of these countries/regions are not eligible to participate.
• You are not involved in the execution or administration of this Challenge; and
• You are not an immediate family member of (parent, sibling, spouse/domestic partner, child) or household member of a Hackster employee;

Submission requirements

To be eligible for judging, an entry must meet the following content/technical requirements:

Free SparkFun Blynk board:

• You must create a free Hackster.io account and register as a participant for this contest.
• Your original idea must be submitted on this contest page by filling the idea form (“Apply to receive a SparkFun Blynk Board”).
• All ideas must be submitted in the English language.
• Your idea must include/use the SparkFun Blynk Board with the Blynk app.

Contest Submissions:

• Your project must be created using the SparkFun Blynk Board with the Blynk app.
• Your final project must be fully documented on Hackster per the “project” template.
• Your final project must be submitted within the project template.
• Your final project must consist of the following materials:
• Images
• Instructions
• BOM
• Schematics
• Code
• CAD if any
• All project submissions must use the SparkFun Blynk Board with the Blynk app

In addition:

• your entry must be your own original work; and
• your entry cannot have been selected as a winner in any other contest; and
• you must have obtained any and all consents, approvals or licenses required for you to submit your entry; and
• your entry may not include any third party trademarks (logos, names) or copyrighted materials (music, images, video, recognizable people) unless you have obtained permission to use the materials.

Judging criteria

Winners are selected based on the following criteria: 

Free SparkFun Blynk board:

• Presentation (20 points)
• The way you describe and present your idea. The easier to understand, the better!
• Demonstrated use of the SparkFun Blynk Board with the Blynk app. (60 points)
• Are you using the SparkFun Blynk Board with the Blynk app to the full extent of its potential? Are you using it in ways never seen before?
• Creativity (20 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). 

Contest Submissions:

• Project Documentation (60 points)
• Story/Instructions – Show how you created your project, including images, screenshots, and/or video (20 points)
• BOM – Detail the hardware components as well as apps you used (10 points)
• Schematics – Use software like Fritzing.org, draw your circuit diagrams, and/or take detailed photographs (10 points)
• Code – Include working code with helpful comments (20 points)
• Great photographs, videos, and screenshots are worth a thousand words. Ask yourself: "If I were a beginner reading this project, would I understand how to recreate it?"
• Creativity (40 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). All submitted projects must use the SparkFun Blynk Board with the Blynk app.

ONLY continental USA residents are eligible for the First Prize trip to SparkFun AVC. First prize includes airfare for two, htel (2 nights for two; Friday and Saturday night), transportation to and from the Saturday event, waived general admission for two, and a competitor's packet.

How to enter

How to submit an idea to win a free SparkFun Blynk Board:

• Submit your idea by May 8, 2016
• If you are not already a member, you will need to create a free Hackster.io account.
• Register for the contest by clicking "Register as a participant" on the main contest page.
• Submit your idea by clicking "Apply to receive a SparkFun blynk board" and filling in the form.
• Teams of up to 3 people are allowed.
• Participant agrees to pay local tax at customs if applicable in order to receive the SparkFun blynk board.
• Hackster is not responsible for lost packages, packages held/returned at customs, or packages returned due to incorrect addresses.

How to enter your full project in the contest:

• Build and submit your project by July 15, 2016
• Build your project using the SparkFun Blynk Board with the Blynk app.
• Add a new project by clicking the + symbol at the top right side of the screen and follow the submission template.
• Share detailed instructions with images in the story section
• Share the bill of materials
• Share the electronics schematics
• Share the source code (optionally via Github or Bitbucket)
• Share the CAD files if any

Full rules

Brought to you by Hackster, SparkFun, and Blynk. The object of this contest is to create a reference design using the SparkFun Blynk Board with the Blynk app.

For purposes of this Contest, each solution and idea you create and submit in the Contest will be called an “entry”. All eligible entries received will be judged using the criteria described below to determine the winners of the prizes described below.

CAN I ENTER?

Your entry must be your own original work; and your entry cannot have been selected as a winner in any other contest; and you must have obtained any and all consents, approvals or licenses required for you to submit your entry; and your entry may not include any third party trademarks (logos, names) or copyrighted materials (music, images, video, recognizable people) unless you have obtained permission to use the materials.

Entries may NOT contain, as determined by us, in our sole and absolute discretion, any content that is: sexually explicit, unnecessarily violent or derogatory of any ethnic, racial, gender, religious, professional or age group; profane or pornographic; promotes alcohol, illegal drugs, tobacco, firearms/weapons (or the use of any of the foregoing) or a particular political agenda; is obscene or offensive; defames, misrepresents or contains disparaging remarks about other people or companies; communicates messages or images inconsistent with the positive images and/or good will to which we wish to associate; and/or violates any law. We reserve the right to reject any entry, in our sole and absolute discretion, that we determine does not meet the above criteria.

Important note about Copyright: Your entire entry must only include material (including hardware, source code – both open source and third party sourced, user interface, music, video or images) that you own or that you have permission from the copyright/trademark owner to use. Your team’s entry may not include copyrighted materials (such as source code, user interface, background music, images or video) unless you own or have permission to use the materials. Ownership is not defined as purchasing a CD at a music store for replay, if playing a copyrighted recording on your guitar or repurposing an application’s user interface – your entry will be disqualified if copyrighted materials, including but not limited to these examples, are a part of your entry without appropriate licensing or permissions. If you do use permissible copyrighted materials, you must include the permissions information by citing the artist/creator and license information as per the respective Challenge Rules. Note that even material released under sites such as Creative Commons, common open source code licenses, and other similar licensing may need permission or acknowledgement as per the specific license.

Note: your team’s entry will be disqualified if permissions information is not included as per the requirements in the specific Challenge Rules.

HOW WILL MY ENTRY BE POTENTIALLY USED?

Other than what is set forth below, we are not claiming any ownership rights to your entry. However, by submitting your entry, you are: granting us an irrevocable, royalty-free, worldwide right and license to: (i) use, review, assess, test and otherwise analyze your entry and all its content in connection with this Contest; and (ii) feature your entry and all content in connection with the marketing, sale, or promotion of this Contest (including but not limited to internal and external sales meetings, conference presentations, tradeshows, and screen shots of the Contest entry in press releases) in all media (now known or later developed); agree to sign any necessary documentation that may be required for us and our designees to make use of the rights you granted above; understand and acknowledge that the Sponsor(s) may have developed or commissioned materials similar or identical to your submission and you waive any claims you may have resulting from any similarities to your entry; understand that we cannot control the incoming information you will disclose to our representatives in the course of entering, or what our representatives will remember about your entry.

You also understand that we will not restrict work assignments of representatives who have had access to your entry. By entering this Contest, you agree that use of information in our representatives’ unaided memories in the development or deployment of our products or services does not create liability for us under this agreement or copyright or trade secret law; understand that you will not receive any compensation or credit for use of your entry, other than what is described in these Official Rules. Please note that following the end of this Contest your entry may be posted on a website selected by us for viewing by visitors to that website. We are not responsible for any unauthorized use of your entry by visitors to this website. While we reserve these rights, we are not obligated to use your entry for any purpose, even if it has been selected as a winning entry. If you do not want to grant us these rights to your entry, please do not enter this Contest.

All entries will be judged and the top three (3) entries will receive prizes.

ONLY continental USA residents are eligible for the First Prize trip to SparkFun AVC. First prize includes airfare for two, htel (2 nights for two; Friday and Saturday night), transportation to and from the Saturday event, waived general admission for two, and a competitor's packet.

Limit one (1) prize per person or team. In the event of a tie between any eligible entries, an additional judge will break the tie based on the judging criteria described above. The decisions of the judges are final and binding. If we do not receive a sufficient number of entries meeting the entry requirements, we may, at our discretion, select fewer winners than the number of Contest Prizes described below. If you are a potential winner, we will notify you by sending a message to the e-mail address, the phone number, or mailing address (if any) provided at time of entry within seven (7) days following completion of judging. If the notification that we send is returned as undeliverable, or you are otherwise unreachable for any reason, we may award to a runner-up. If there is a dispute as to who is the potential winner, we will consider the potential winner to be the authorized account holder of the e-mail address used to enter the Contest. If you are a potential winner, we may require you to sign an Affidavit of Eligibility, Liability/Publicity Release and a W-9 tax form or W-8 BEN tax form within 10 days of notification. If you complete a tax form, you will be issued an IRS Form 1099 the following January, for the actual value of the prize. You are advised to seek independent counsel regarding the tax implications of accepting a prize. If you are a potential winner and you are 18 or older, but are considered a minor in your place of legal residence, we may require your parent or legal guardian to sign all required forms on your behalf. If you do not complete the required forms as instructed and/or return the required forms within the time period listed on the winner notification message, we may disqualify you and select a runner-up. If you are confirmed as a winner of this Contest: You may not exchange your prize for cash or any other merchandise or services. However, if for any reason an advertised prize is unavailable, we reserve the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value; and you may not designate someone else as the winner. If you are unable or unwilling to accept your prize, we may award it to a runner up; and if you accept a prize, you will be solely responsible for all applicable federal, state, and local taxes related to accepting the prize; and if you are otherwise eligible for this Contest, but are considered a minor in your place of residence, we may award the prize to your parent/legal guardian on your behalf; and unless otherwise noted, all prizes are subject to their manufacturer’s warranty and / or terms and conditions.

WHAT OTHER CONDITIONS AM I AGREEING TO BY ENTERING?

By entering this Contest you agree to: abide by these Official Rules; and  release and hold harmless Hackster, Imagination Technologies and its respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, employees and agents from any and all liability or any injury, loss or damage of any kind arising from or in connection with this Contest, or any prize won; and that Hackster’s decisions will be final and binding on all matters related to this Contest; and that, by accepting a prize, Hackster may use your proper name and state of residence online and in print, or in any other media, in connection with this Contest, without payment or compensation to you, except where prohibited by law.

WHAT LAWS GOVERN THE WAY THIS CONTEST IS EXECUTED AND ADMINISTRATED?

This Contest will be governed by the laws of the State of California, and you consent to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the courts of the State of Washington for any disputes arising out of this Contest.

WHAT IF SOMETHING UNEXPECTED HAPPENS AND THE CONTEST CAN’T RUN AS PLANNED?

If someone cheats, or a virus, bug, bot, catastrophic event, or any other unforeseen or unexpected event that cannot be reasonably anticipated or controlled, (also referred to as force majeure) affects the fairness and / or integrity of this Contest, we reserve the right to cancel, change or suspend this Contest. This right is reserved whether the event is due to human or technical error. If a solution cannot be found to restore the integrity of the Contest, we reserve the right to select winners from among all eligible entries received before we had to cancel, change or suspend the Contest. If you attempt or we have strong reason to believe that you have compromised the integrity or the legitimate operation of this Contest by cheating, hacking, creating a bot or other automated program, or by committing fraud in ANY way, we may seek damages from you to the fullest extent permitted by law. Further, we may disqualify you, and ban you from participating in any of our future Contests, so please play fairly.

HOW CAN I FIND OUT WHO WON?

A full list of winners will be published on this page by July 29, 2016 at 11:59 PM PT.