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TechFashion Design Challenge 2023

Redefine the future of fashion

Total prize pool of $50,000

TechFashion Design Challenge 2023
TechFashion Design Challenge 2023
This contest is over! See all the winning entries. Want more chances to win prizes? Check out our active contests.

Specific Contest Rules

Eligibility

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

  • You are at least 13 years of age
    If you are 12 years or younger, you must receive a legal guardian's permission and have them complete Hackster’s contest permission form prior to submitting an entry into this contest. Send any questions to contests@hackster.io.
  • You are not a resident of Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, or Syria
    US export regulations prohibit the export of goods and services to the countries listed above, therefore residents of these countries are not eligible to participate in this challenge.
  • You are not involved in the execution or administration of this contest.
  • You are not an immediate family member or household member of a Hackster employee.

Submission requirements

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.
  • You can enter as a team, but 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/Software Build Requirements

  • Your project must be created using either option that's listed on the contest page (solar film and/or no-code LED)
  • Your project must be wearable tech embedded/integrated clothing

Project Documentation Requirements

  • Your project must include a project name, short project description, cover image, bill of materials (BOM), full instructions of your design concept, images, and relevant visuals.
  • Your project must be written in English.
  • Your project must be submitted by Jun 18, 2023 at 11:55 PM PT.

Judging criteria

Your project will be judged according to the rubric below.

  • Project Documentation (30 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 Bill Of Materials (20 points)
    Detail the hardware components that you will be using and why you chose the material. Remember our awards go to practical, manufacturable, and sustainable categories.
  • Visual Communications (20 points)
    Draw your layout (can be hand drawn or software) or use mockups, 3D simulations and prototypes to communicate how to construct your design.
  • Creativity (30 points)
    Wow us with your design and out-of-the-box thinking.

How to enter

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”.

Submission

  • Submit your idea of wearable tech clothing as a Hackster.io project by June 18, 2023.
  • Include your story, design, photos and/or videos, and proposal of how you will utilize and integrate the element/hardware - this can be hand drawings or sketches, but the more visual explanation the better. We encourage you to utilize images, GIFs, illustrations, and video clips.
  • Note: this is not a full tutorial, but rather an idea proposal as you will be entering into the next round to work with the technical experts directly for the implementation. You can continue to update your project with technical how-to and details in the future as your project evolves. But for the scope of this contest and for judging, you just need to illustrate your concept.
  • Review your project and make sure it meets all the submission requirements.
  • Submit your project by clicking “review and submit project” on the contest page.

Semi-finalists

  • 5 ideas will be the go-to-market semi-finalists and selected as the collective cohort to enter the next round for go-to-market campaigns.
  • If you want to go for People's Choice: turn your project privacy setting to "public" and invite people to "like" your project. The project that receives the most likes will be the winner of the category.

Go to market

  • Semi-finalists’ designs will be commissioned with Art by Physicist. They enter an Art by Physicist crowdfunding campaign during which the designs will be listed as rewards, backed by the public, beyond the maker community.
  • Semi-finalists will work with Art by Physicist to create presentations and determine the goal, cost of R&D, manufacturing, shipping, and the listed prices of the products.

Final winner(s)

  • Finalists are designs that receive more than 20 orders (up to 5 winners!). Art by Physicist will help the finalists manufacture final products and work with finalists to determine how shipping should be handled.
  • Runner-ups are those with less than 20 orders. They have a choice to move forward with making the products themselves and receiving backer payments or refunding the backers.
  • The grand prize winner is determined by the number of orders chosen by crowdfunding backers.

Final prize rewards

  • Final winners (finalists and runner-ups who chose to produce the orders) will receive cash rewards based on the orders made by the Kickstarter backers minus the costs and donations.
  • Finalists will also be featured in a two-page spread in Make: V86 and on makezine.com
  • Backers will receive the products they backed. Art by Physicist will work with the winners on logistics.
  • Art by Physicist will help process fulfillment payments. For the runner-ups, they will be paid upfront for half the pledge from backers so that they can commit to their own manufacturing (commitment fund) and will receive the remaining payment after orders are fulfilled. If they fail to fulfill the orders, they will return the commitment fund to Art by Physicist.
  • Art by Physicist will match funding 5% of this project's raise to donate to charity for STEAM education and environmental protection cause – and fund that match contribution from their prize money pool.

Full rules

Common terms used in these rules

These are the full rules that govern how the contest will operate. In these rules, “we,” “our”, and “us” refer to Hackster and/or the contest host. “You” and “yourself” refer to an eligible contest participant. The full rules also include all above eligibility, requirements, and judging criteria recorded in the “rules” tab of this contest page.

Contest description:

This is a skill-based contest brought to you by Hackster.io and sponsored by [sponsor name]. The object of this contest is to create project tutorials using the/a/an [featured technology]. For the purposes of this contest, each idea you submit will be called a “hardware application” and each project you submit in the contest will be called an “entry”. All eligible entries received will be judged using the judging criteria above to determine the final prize winners.

What are the start and end dates?

Contest starts at Apr 28, 2023 at 7:00 AM PT and ends at Jun 18, 2023 at 11:55 PM PTand will consist of the following periods:.

  • Contest projects submission period: Apr 28, 2023 at 7:00 AM PT through Jun 18, 2023 at 11:55 PM PT
  • Free hardware application deadline is ["free_hardware_end_date" is not set]
  • Contest winners will be announced on Jul 14, 2023 at 8:00 AM PT.

Note: Contest end dates are at the sole discretion of Hackster and/or the contest sponsor and may be subject to change.

Can I enter?

If your participation violates ANY of the following, you may be disqualified.

  • Your entry must be your own original work.
  • Your entry cannot have been selected as a winner in any other Hackster contest.
  • You must have obtained any and all consents, approvals or licenses required for you to submit your entry.
  • Your entry may not include any third party trademarks (logos, names) or copyrighted materials (music, images, video, recognizable people, code, schematics etc...) unless you have obtained permission to use the materials.
  • Your entry must comply with your employer’s gift policies.

Hardware applications and/or project entries may NOT contain ANY of the following content:

  • Content that is sexually explicit.
  • Content that is unnecessarily violent or derogatory of any ethnic, racial, gender, religious, professional or age group.
  • Content that is profane or pornographic.
  • Content that promotes illegal drugs, firearms/weapons (or the use of any of the foregoing) or a particular political agenda.
  • Content that is obscene or offensive.
  • Content that defames, misrepresents or contains disparaging remarks about other people or companies.
  • Content that communicates messages or images inconsistent with the positive images and/or good will to which we wish to associate.
  • Content that violates any law.

We reserve the right to reject an entry, in our sole and absolute discretion, that we determine contains any of the above content.

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 and/or 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 may 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. 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.

Can I enter this contest as a team?

You can enter as a team of no more than five members.

The following requirements must be satisfied to participate in this contest as a team:

  • Your team must choose one individual (the “representative”) to speak for, act, and enter a project submission on behalf of your team.
  • Each individual team member must meet ALL of the eligibility and contest requirements outlined in the full 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 agree to ALL of the following statements:

  • You grant 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 this contest entry in press releases) in all media (now known or later developed).
  • You agree to sign any necessary documentation that may be required for us and our designees to make use of the rights you granted above.
  • You understand that after the submission deadline has passed, any project that has been submitted to the contest cannot be deleted or made private and will remain on the contest page after the contest has concluded.
  • You 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.
  • You understand that you will not receive any compensation or credit for use of your entry, other than what is described in these full 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.

What other conditions am I agreeing to by entering?

By entering this contest you are agreeing to the following statements:

  • You agree to abide by these full rules.
  • You agree to abide by the policies outlined on Hackster’s website, including our Terms of Service, Code of Conduct and Privacy Policy.
  • You agree to release and hold harmless Hackster, Art by Physicist, ASCA and their 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.
  • You agree that your personal data including your name, email address, personal address, phone number, and any other personal information disclosed during the duration of this contest may be shared with and used by Hackster, Art by Physicist, and ASCA in order to facilitate the execution of this contest.
  • You agree that Hackster’s decisions will be final and binding on all matters related to this contest.
  • You agree 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 administered?

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 California for any disputes arising out of this contest.

What if something unexpected happens and the contest can not 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.

Who do I contact about this contest?

If you have any questions or comments regarding this contest, please email us at contests@hackster.io.