Pi Network opens hackathon to drive developer adoption

Pi Network has launched its first-ever hackathon after the debut of its Open Network in February. The project encourages developers to participate in the event with a promise of a total prize pool of 160,000 Pi tokens, by building applications that showcase Pi Coin’s utility

According to CoinGecko data, Pi Coin rose 2.7% in the past 24 hours to trade at $0.3602. It is counting gains against a broader crypto market bloodbath that dragged several large cap coins down in prices, as reported by Cryptopolitan.

Pi Coin (PI) rose to $0.361 over the past 24 hours, diverging from its downtrend of recent weeks. The token is still down 9.23% over the past seven days and 24.53% in the past month, according to CoinGecko market data.

Pi launches hackathon to drive utility

The event’s organizers have described it as “a general, open-ended theme to invite broad creativity,” where developers can use several concepts so long as the resulting products meet Pi’s Mainnet Listing Requirements.

Pi Hackathon 2025 participants: are you ready to build and deploy meaningful Pi Apps that empower real-world utility using Pi and help shape the ecosystem—and compete for a chance to win up to 160,000 Pi in total prizes?https://t.co/QpZOOsY5yl

— Pi Network (@PiCoreTeam) August 20, 2025

Any use case is acceptable provided it integrates Pi meaningfully into the ecosystem, whether through payments, identity, or community engagement. The emphasis, according to Pi Network’s guidelines, is on “bringing real utility to the Pi community.”

Prizes for the event are divided among top projects. The winning team will receive 75,000 Pi, with the runner-up taking 45,000 Pi, and the third-place finisher earning 15,000 Pi. Up to five honorable mentions will also be recognized, each awarded 5,000 Pi tokens.

Rules, teams, and timeline

Per Pi Network’s announcement, developers can register through its official hackathon form, which will avail resources such as Pi App Studio and the Developer Portal. Team formation opened on August 15, with the hackathon officially beginning on August 21 – today.

The competition will run until October 15, when final submissions are due. Teams must upload their projects through the Developer Portal, alongside a demo video and a submission form. 

There will be a midpoint check-in scheduled for September 19 for developers to submit progress updates with mentorship offers up for grabs, alongside visibility in the Pi community ahead of final judging.

There is no restriction on team size, and Pi’s team has encouraged devs to collaborate, but all members must pass the network’s Know Your Customer (KYC) process in order to qualify for prizes. 

Hackathon submissions and evaluation

Entries to Pi Hackathon 2025 must satisfy a two-step submission process: teams need to provide a final app listing via the Developer Portal and complete the official hackathon form with a demo video attached.

The demo video, capped at three minutes, must introduce the app’s purpose, walk through its functionality, explain its target audience, and describe how Pi is integrated into the user experience. 

All submitted apps are required to have an English name, a logo compliant with trademark guidelines, a clear description, preview images, and a privacy policy. Projects must integrate with PiNet, the blockchain’s underlying infrastructure.

Developers are allowed to submit up to two applications per team. Pi also mentioned that while wallet integration is not mandatory at the submission stage, teams advancing toward ecosystem listing will be expected to complete this step.

Historically, venture capital-backed cryptocurrency projects experience short-term rallies, with gains averaging between 5% and 15% within 72 hours of such announcements. Pi’s 24-hour increase of 2.73% fell short of that range, possibly because the market is skeptical about its overall nature.

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