Getting Started

Welcome!

Before you do anything, make sure you're in these channels on the Hack Club slack:

• #gadget-market - the main channel for talking, sharing progress, questions, and everything else!
• #gadget-market-ships - submit your finished project design for review, to get a build grant
• #gadget-market-listings - submit your built project for review, to list it onto the Market and to get a shipping grant

Here's how Gadget Market works:

And repeat! You can make as many projects as you want through Gadget Market, as long as you build the previous one.

You can also earn additional prizes by trading. Info coming soon!

Note that the minimum requirements for a project to be on the market is higher than usual - if you're just starting out, I'd recommend trying to get your project funded through Stardance instead.

Project build grants

There are three main tiers you can submit for, depending on the complexity of your project:

Up to 50 USD - Simple projects!

These projects are typically don't require many parts, and can typically be assembled by hand.

Example: capacitive touch keychain with backlit LEDs.

Up to 120 USD - Medium projects!

Most keyboards / devboards would fall under this catagory! As well as most other gadgets.

Up to 210 USD - Complex projects!

These projects typically involve complex routing, many components, and a low margin for error. Examples:

• Cheetah MX4 Mini - 3D printer motherboard
• CH32 Logic Analyzer - 200Msps 16ch logic analyzer + 20Msps oscilloscope
• AngstromIO Devboard - one of the smallest devboards

If your project is super polished and requires a little more funding (ie: +20 USD), you can try to request it in your ship message. Depending on the project design and effort, @acon may approve of it. Note that Hack Club is a non-profit and we operate from limited funding, so make sure your project actually justifies the extra funding!

Have a complex project that needs a lot more funding (ie: 350 USD), like the Icepi Zero? These can be approved on a case-by-case basis. Please ping @acon in #gadget-market with the project idea, as well as the parts you're planning to use that make up the cost!

Shipping grants

After your project gets listed onto Gadget Market, we'll give you a 30 USD grant for shipping your project to others.

This should be enough for shipping out your project 3 times!

If you need more than 30 USD (want to ship out more than 3 PCBs? need to ship it in a larger box?), you can get additional funding through methods here. (Note that building your project will not count for additional funding.)

Requirements

What are the minimums a project needs to be approved for the market?

1. It needs to fully shipped.
2. It needs to be functional - it must work as intended!
3. It needs to be polished.
4. It needs to be original - don't just copy things others have made! Art must be original too. (You are allowed to use Hack Club branding assets.)

For project design requirements, read the Project Requirements page.

For submitting a project design for a build grant, read the How to Submit page.

For listing a project on Gadget Market, read the How to List page.

FAQ

I already have some extra PCBs on me. Can I list them?

Yes! But they still need to get approved, so you should read Existing PCBs.

I want someone else's project! Do I need a project of my own to trade with them?

Yup, you also need a project on the Market. Get making!

Is this PCBs only?

All projects must include a PCB, but you are also free to add on additional things like 3D printed cases!

Does the PCB need to ship assembled?

You have the option to ship it assembled, unassembled but with parts, or unassembled and without parts. Choose the appropriate option in your listing!

Does [xyz project idea] count as a gadget?

The term "gadget" here is used quite loosely - but if you're unsure, feel free to ask in #gadget-market!