FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Communications, media@hackerinitiative.org

Hacker Initiative 2025 Grant Cycle Theme: Sensing and Perception Technology

San Francisco, March 15, 2025 — The Hacker Initiative today announced the opening of its 2025
grant cycle, inviting innovative projects that explore new ways of sensing and understanding the
world around us. This year’s program particularly welcomes proposals for both hardware and
software projects that push the boundaries of how we perceive and interact with our environment.

“The ability to sense and interpret our surroundings is fundamental to how we interact with each
other, our world, and universe,” said William Pollock, Chair, Board of Directors at the Hacker
Initiative. “We’re excited to support projects that expand these capabilities and contribute to our
mission of growing the global hacking community.”

The 2025 grant cycle seeks proposals that could include these and many others:

  • Object detection, recognition and tracking
  • Biometric sensing innovations
  • Alternative input devices for human-computer interaction
  • Data collection and analysis capture from thermal, radar, LiDAR, sonar
  • Open-source sensing platforms and frameworks

All proposed projects must align with the Hacker Initiative’s core mission of expanding and
strengthening the worldwide hacking community. Successful proposals will demonstrate potential
for measurable broad impact, open collaboration, and community engagement.

Grant Details:

  • Application Period: March 15, 2025 – September 8, 2025
  • Webinar: About the Hacker Initiative Grant — April 17, 2025
  • Award Notification: October 1, 2025
  • Project Duration: Under one year
  • Grant Amount: US $5,000 to $20,000

Interested applicants can find submission guidelines and application materials at
https://hackerinitiative.org. Hacker Initiative welcomes applications from individuals and teams
worldwide, subject to exclusions listed on the Hacker Initiative website.

About: Hacker Initiative is a California registered 501 (c) 3 non profit, dedicated to fostering
innovation and collaboration within the global hacking community. We support projects that push
technologies’ boundaries and that strengthen and enrich the universal network of hackers and
makers.

Media Contact: Communications Department, media@hackerinitiative.org

ANNOUNCING THE 2025 HACKER INITIATIVE GRANT RECIPIENTS

December 1, 2025
Dear Friends and Supporters,
We thank all the applicants who participated in our 2025 grant cycle. We received globally inspiring and provocative submissions. While we had wished to be in a position to grant to all the submissions we received, we are mandated to stay true to our Mission and objectives.
Without further ado, we are excited to announce below Hacker Initiative’s 2025 Grant Recipients. Please join us in congratulating them and wishing them success! (We will be posting more information about each project in the coming days.)
  • Science at Home
  • Defiant Dumpling
  • Lifelong Learning with LEGO MINDSTORMS
  • HAT for Hackable Robotic Study Companion
  • Repair Cafe
Congratulations 2024 Hacker Initiative grant recipients!
Hacker Initiative
Board of Directors & Programming Committee

100% of your donation goes to grant recipients!

About This Public Nonprofit

This public nonprofit is formed to give back to and strengthen the hacking community. The founder, Bill Pollock, through his donation of $1.3 million to date, and No Starch Press Inc. have been closely involved with the global hacking community since 1999.

We are growing through the generous support of our global communities, individuals, and corporate donors. Ongoing funding is used to continue to strengthen and expand our global hacking communities. We endeavor to educate the public about “hacking,” and work to create safe and central places for the elite engineering community.

Hacker Initiative is an IRS 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt PUBLIC nonprofit charity. Our mission is to support and grow the collective knowledge and contributions of the worldwide hacker community.

We support hackers of all types, wherever you are in the world, regardless of experience, whether that’s the passionate beginner or the lifelong hacker wishing to make a broader contribution to the hacker community and the world.

ANNOUNCING THE 2024 HACKER INITIATIVE GRANT RECIPIENTS

December 1, 2024
Dear Friends and Supporters,
We thank all the applicants who participated in our 2024 grant cycle. We received globally inspiring and provocative submissions. While we had wished to be in a position to grant to all the submissions we received, we are mandated to stay true to our Mission and objectives.
Without further ado, we are excited to announce below Hacker Initiative’s 2024 Grant Recipients. Please join us in congratulating them and wishing them success! (We will be posting more information about each project in the coming days.)
  • GTFS-RT TRACKER
  • Increase Cubesat Testing Capacity and Human Capacity for the Dyson picoDot
  • Lifelong Learning with LEGO MINDSTORMS
  • Open Quantum
  • SPI Terminal
Congratulations 2024 Hacker Initiative grant recipients!
Hacker Initiative
Board of Directors & Programming Committee

About This Public Nonprofit

This public nonprofit is formed to give back to and strengthen the hacking community. The founder, Bill Pollock, through his donation of $1.3 million to date, and No Starch Press Inc. have been closely involved with the global hacking community since 1999.

 

We are growing through the generous support of our global communities, individuals, and corporate donors. Ongoing funding is used to continue to strengthen and expand our global hacking communities. We endeavor to educate the public about “hacking,” and work to create safe and central places for the elite engineering community.

Planned Activities

The Hacker Initiative is built to provide global support to those with a hacking mindset who have yet to find a supportive community of hackers. The Hacker Initiative will:

Offer financial support to STEM initiatives

such as robotics clubs and research projects, and to promising software or product development projects conducted by public charity nonprofit corporations.

Support contests, educational, and cool tech development programs

and will work to connect hackers with recognized leaders and experts who can help them to further their knowledge and interests.

Sponsor educational presentations and resources

geared towards technical people learning about hacking and to help introduce the public to the hacking community.

Support for hackers of all ages

Offer financial support to allow hackers to pursue their creative, hacking-oriented goals.

Educational Presentations and Resources

The Hacker Initiative will sponsor presentations, talks, and other learning resources at hackerspaces and maker spaces. The Hacker Initiative will work to help self-taught hackers land their first real tech jobs, develop a career, and establish themselves in the hacking community.

Support for STEM Initiatives

One of the Hacker Initiative’s goals is to build the hacker community by supporting STEM education initiatives.

Support for Hackers of All Ages

Support for hackers will include financial support to help them pursue their creative and innovative projects and the initiatives of other public nonprofits who share our vision.

 

Support for Contests and Other Programs

The Hacker Initiative will support contests that challenge hackers to solve many of the world’s problems, particularly programs and contests that encourage research, development, and involvement of all education levels whether matriculated or not.

The Hacker Initiative will support these activities through donations from the general public, generous individuals, corporate grants, and funding from other public charities.

The Hacker Initiative has already generated substantial interest from a number of prominent individuals in the hacking community who wish to donate, volunteer on the Board, and help support its mission.