Pi Network Hackathon: How Developers Build New Pi Apps
How Pi Network Hackathon Projects Turn Ideas Into Practical Web3 Apps
The Pi-Network-Hackathon has become a monthly contest where builders compete to create useful apps for a community the project describes as tens of millions of Pioneers.
According to the official Pi-Hackathon page, checked on October 13, 2026, the prize for winning a month is 10,000-Pi, and strong entries may get extra support from the Pi Core Team.
Developers searching for the Pi-Network-Hackathon usually want three answers: how the process works, which apps qualify, and what happened in earlier rounds.
What Is Pi Network, and What Counts as a Pi App?
Pi Network is a crypto project built around a mobile app. Its members, called Pioneers, join through the app and use the Pi-Browser to reach ecosystem apps.
A Pi-App is a web app that runs inside the Pi-Browser. It connects to-Pi through the Pi-SDK, a software kit that handles payments and sign-in.
The Pi apps ecosystem already includes Mainnet apps and Pi-App Studio creations, so hackathon entries join an existing directory rather than starting from zero.
How Does the Pi-Network Hackathon Work Month to Month?
The Pi Network Hackathon is an ongoing initiative rather than a single event. Developers can enter every month by submitting apps through the Brainstorm app.
The challenge itself is broad: creative, utility-focused web apps that address a real user need, support-Pi, and stay simple enough for everyday people to use.
Other entries stay in the running for extra Core Team support, and strong apps may be listed on the Testnet Ecosystem inside the Pi-Browser.
Teams can keep improving an app after submitting, so an entry that misses one month can compete again in another.
How Do Developers Build Apps for the Pi-Network Hackathon?
Setting Up the Account, Browser, and Brainstorm
Participation starts with the Pi-app and a Pi-account, followed by the Pi-Browser. Inside the browser, the Brainstorm icon leads to a Hackathon tab with the entry instructions.
Inside the Pi-Network Hackathon, developers can propose a new project or ask to join an existing team. Applicants list their skills, and the team admin decides whether to accept them.
Creating the App in the Developer Portal
For the Pi-Network Hackathon, the Developer Portal is where a new app is created on the Pi-Testnet. The app's URL goes into the configuration screen, and the developer must own that domain.
Ownership is checked by adding a validation-key text file to the app and relaunching it. Once verified, the app opens inside the Pi-Browser.
Apps on both networks should be linked, so a mainnet version points to its testnet twin through the Paired Testnet App field.
What the Final Submission Needs
Each Pi-Network-Hackathon entry needs a demo app link, a written description, and a presentation video of no more than three minutes. The video covers what the app is, how Pi is integrated, how it works, and a short look at the technology.
The deadline is 11:59pm PST on the last day of each month. Entries go in through the Submit Project to Hackathon button inside Brainstorm.
Teams that use the PiOS license, Pi's own open software license, must also add a GitHub repository link. App names under that license cannot start with-Pi, which ties into Pi's trademark guidelines.
Which Rules Decide Whether a Pi-App Qualifies?
The official requirements for the Pi-Network-Hackathon read like a safety checklist as much as a product brief:
Apps may never ask Pioneers to enter their passphrase.
Payments and sign-in must run through the Pi-SDK, with no non-Pi currencies and no separate account creation.
Apps must be deployed on the testnet, outside the sandbox, with a minimally functional interface.
Each app needs a distinct use case, not a clone of an existing one.
Data collection stays limited to core needs, and every app needs a logo, English description, preview images, and a privacy policy.
Coverage of Pi Network ecosystem apps shows how these standards look in practice.
How Did the 2025 Pi-Network Hackathon Differ From Today's?
The Pi Hackathon 2025 announcement described a one-off contest with up to 160,000-Pi in total prizes. It was billed as the ecosystem's first hackathon after Open Network launched.
Final submissions closed on October 15, 2025, and results followed in December 2025. Here is how that Pi-Network-Hackathon compares with the current format.
Feature | 2025 event | Current format |
Structure | One-off contest | Ongoing, monthly entries |
Top prize | 75,000-Pi | 10,000-Pi |
Other rewards | 45,000 and 15,000-Pi for the second and third, plus up to five honorable mentions at 5,000-Pi each | Possible Core Team support and Testnet Ecosystem listing |
App type | Mainnet apps | Testnet or mainnet demo link |
Deadline | One final deadline | 11:59pm PST each month-end |
Prizes are smaller now, but entry is more frequent, and a testnet demo can qualify.
Who Won the 2025 Pi Network Hackathon?
According to the Core Team's results announcement, Blind_Lounge took first place, Starmax came second, and Run For Pi-finished third. The announcement reportedly covered roughly 215 Mainnet submissions.
Starmax is a loyalty app for businesses, while Run For-Pi is a runner game with Pi-built into its economy. Honorable mentions went to Kindrek, Workflet for Pi, PallyPay, SimpleJoy, and Agora Pulse.
New community-built apps have also joined the Mainnet Ecosystem Interface after meeting quality standards.
What Risks Come With the Pi-Network Hackathon?
Prizes are paid in-Pi, so their dollar value can swing with the market, and the official page says rewards stay subject to the hackathon's terms of service.
Result timing can run long, since the 2025 winners were announced about two months after the October deadline, which complicates planning for teams that count on prize money.
Testnet-apps may never reach mainnet, and a Pi-Network Hackathon placement does not guarantee users, revenue, or a place in the ecosystem directory.
The Core Team has noted that community-built apps may contain bugs or limitations, so even winning-apps need care.
Fake-apps or sites that ask for a passphrase break the official rules, and Pioneers should never share it with any app.
Is the Pi Network Hackathon Worth Following Right Now?
For developers comfortable with JavaScript and web tooling, the format looks approachable. A small app with Pi payments or sign-in can qualify if it fills a clear need.
Still, the available data does not show monthly entry counts or how winners are picked. Review criteria were published for 2025, but the current page lists none.
Broader coverage of the Pi Network ecosystem in 2026 shows the project pushing beyond mining toward everyday usability.
Final Thoughts on the Pi Network Hackathon
The Pi-Network-Hackathon gives developers a recurring route to build, test, and showcase apps inside the Pi ecosystem. Its stated focus is utility, with-Pi used for payments or sign-in.
What stands out is the low-friction entry, since a testnet demo, a short video, and a brainstorm submission can be enough. What remains uncertain is the review process, prize timing, and how many winning apps attract real users.
Current rules, deadlines, and prize terms are best confirmed on the official page and in the Brainstorm app before work begins.
Disclaimer:
This content is for informational purposes only and is not financial or investment advice. Crypto assets, including-Pi, are volatile and high risk. Independent research is advised before any financial decision.
