The Best Overall category represents the pinnacle of achievement at PlutoHacks. This award is reserved for the project that truly rises above the rest, combining innovation, technical execution, creativity, and impact to deliver something exceptional. All teams, regardless of experience level or category, are automatically considered for Best Overall, making it the most competitive and prestigious award of the hackathon.

The Best Overall prize is $310 in cash and prizes per team member.

Each year, PlutoHacks introduces a central theme to guide and inspire hackers, and for 2025, that theme is Past, Present, & Future.
This category challenges teams to craft solutions that creatively tie into this theme, by drawing inspiration from the lessons of the past to tackle issues of the present, laying the foundation of future innovations that can change the world and how we live!
Judges will be looking for hacks that clearly draw a line from past problems to present solutions, and ultimately show how your idea could influence the way we live tomorrow.

Best Past, Present, & Future Theme prize is $150 in cash and prizes per team member.

The First Time Hacker award is dedicated to celebrating newcomers at PlutoHacks. We know taking on your very first hackathon can be intimidating, and this category is designed to recognize and encourage those who are just getting started. To qualify, at least half of the team must consist of first-time hackers. The award highlights creativity, effort, and potential—showing that you don’t need years of experience to create something impactful and exciting.

The First Time Hacker prize is $150 in cash and prizes per team member.

Sometimes a project doesn’t quite fit into the theme or take the top overall prize, but it still stands out as something truly special. That’s where the Honorable Mention comes in. This award exists to shine a light on a project that demonstrates impressive creativity, ingenuity, or impact, and deserves recognition in its own right. It’s our way of ensuring that great work never goes unnoticed, even outside the main categories.

The Honorable Mention prize is $60 in cash and prizes per team member.