What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Hackaday Europe 2025 was a completed in-person hardware and maker event held March 15–16, 2025, at MotionLab in Berlin, Germany, with a Friday meetup on March 14. Hackers, electronics makers, engineers, artists and open-source developers joined talks, workshops, badge hacking, meals, music and informal project sharing. The official event page remains available as an archive at hackaday.io/europe2025.
At a glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Main dates | Saturday and Sunday, March 15–16, 2025 |
| Friday activity | Pre-event meetup, March 14, at Jockel Biergarten |
| Venue | MotionLab, Bouchéstraße 12, Halle 20, 12435 Berlin, Germany |
| Format | Technical talks, workshops, lightning talks, badge hacking and social events |
| Historical ticket prices | $75 early bird and $145 regular; tickets were sold out by March 13, 2025 |
| Remote access | Saturday talks were streamed online, with Discord discussion |
The event was Hackaday’s European community gathering, distinct from Hackaday Supercon in Pasadena. It was less a vendor exhibition than a shared workspace for open hardware, experimental electronics, creative technology and hacker culture. Hackaday has described Europe as a regional event that evolved from a biannual format toward an annual event rotating around Europe; that history should not be confused with the separate 2025 Berlin edition.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Announcement details and the historical ticket prices are documented by Hackaday. The final schedule and sold-out notice appeared on March 13, 2025, in the final event announcement.
Recommended Free Tools
How the weekend was organized
Friday, March 14
The weekend began with an informal meetup at Jockel Biergarten, Ratiborstr. 14c, 10999 Berlin. It was a pre-event social gathering rather than a full conference day.
#1 Best Overall
- 35+ Guided Electronics Projects: Progress from LEDs and buttons to RFID access, real-time clocks, motion and distance sensing, environmental monitoring, motor control and interactive displays for STEM learning, coding clubs and maker projects
- More I/O and Memory for Larger Builds: The MEGA 2560 R3 provides 54 digital I/O pins, including 15 PWM outputs, 16 analog inputs, 4 hardware serial ports and 256 KB flash for projects that combine more sensors, controls and displays
- 200+ Components for Prototyping: Includes LCD1602, RC522 RFID, RTC, DHT11, HC-SR501 PIR, ultrasonic and water-level sensors, GY-521, MAX7219, keypad, joystick, rotary encoder, relay, SG90 servo, stepper motor, DC motor, breadboard and more
- Learn, Modify and Create: Follow 35+ guided lessons with example code, then adjust sensor thresholds, timing, display text, motor behavior and control logic to turn structured exercises into access systems, monitors, alarms and interactive projects
- Organized for Repeatable Learning: Pre-soldered modules, a solderless breadboard, storage case and small-parts box reduce setup time and keep sensors, LEDs, ICs, wires and other components easy to find between projects
Saturday, March 15
Saturday ran from registration and breakfast at 9:00 a.m. through talks, lunch, dinner, the badge-hacking ceremony and a party after midnight.
| Time | Program |
|---|---|
| 9:00–10:00 | Doors, registration and breakfast |
| 10:00–10:20 | Opening remarks |
| 10:30–11:20 | David Cuartielles keynote |
| 11:30–12:20 | Giovanni Salinas and Bunnie Huang |
| 12:30–13:30 | Lunch |
| 13:30–18:40 | Talks on decentralized payments, pinball, startups, light, retro-computing, flexible PCBs, CNC software and matrix boards |
| 18:40–20:00 | Dinner |
| 20:00–21:30 | Hacker-camp history and participatory art |
| 21:30–22:00 | Live performance and break |
| 22:00–24:00 | Badge-hacking ceremony, followed by a party |
Sunday, March 16
Sunday was deliberately looser: brunch, continued hacking and lightning talks at MotionLab. That format gave project demonstrations and conversations more room than a conventional conference timetable.
Talks and technical themes
Sustainable and inspectable hardware
Arduino co-founder David Cuartielles delivered the keynote, “What if the future [of electronics] was compostable?” Bunnie Huang’s session on seeing through silicon with IRIS imaging added a very different angle: examining the physical structure of chips rather than treating them as sealed black boxes.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Manufacturing, embedded systems and PCBs
Giovanni Salinas discussed manufacturing the Hackaday Supercon badge. Rehana Al-Soltane covered flexible PCBs, while Francis Stokes explained software for pen plotters and CNC devices. Alun Morris presented small-format hacking with 0.05-inch matrix boards.
Rank #2
- TURN CODE INTO REAL-WORLD RESULTS — Follow 22+ guided lessons to make LEDs blink, read temperature and distance, move servo and stepper motors, control an LCD and respond to joystick or IR input; ideal for a family weekend build, homeschool unit, coding club or STEM classroom
- MORE PROJECT VARIETY IN ONE ORGANIZED KIT — Includes the UNO R3 controller, LCD1602 with pre-soldered header, breadboard power module, ultrasonic and DHT11 sensors, joystick, IR receiver and remote, SG90 servo, stepper motor, relay, DC motor, fan blade, displays, LEDs, buttons, resistors and jumper wires
- START WITHOUT SOLDERING — Plug-in modules, a solderless breadboard and the pre-soldered LCD help beginners focus on wiring, code and testing; the illustrated component list makes it easier to find each part and move from one lesson to the next
- LEARN THE LOGIC, THEN CREATE YOUR OWN — Use Arduino IDE and the included example code to understand digital input and output, analog sensing, timing, motor control and display functions, then change thresholds, speeds and sequences for alarms, environmental monitors, reaction games and motion projects
- CLEAR SETUP SUPPORT FOR FIRST-TIME BUILDERS — Download the latest tutorial and code, select the UNO board and correct computer port, check component polarity and breadboard rows, and keep power-module input at 9V or below; younger learners should work with an experienced adult
Machines, light and creative technology
Other sessions included Daniel Dakhno’s pinball-machine hacking, Erik Bosman’s light sculptures, and Niklas Roy’s work with vectors, pixels, plotters and public participation. Daniel Büchele and Andre Zibell presented a decentralized NFC payment system for music festivals.
Collaboration and community history
Andy Geppert, Pierre “Muth” Freyermuth and Anders Nielsen presented the Core64, NeonPixels and 65uino collaboration. Christel Sanders traced Dutch hacker camps from HEU1993 to WHY2025. Rich Hogben and Aleksandar Bradic supplied a live performance. Together, the sessions moved between practical engineering, art and the history of hacker communities.
The full speaker list and schedule are preserved on the official event page and in Hackaday’s schedule article.
The two hands-on workshops
Tiny Tapeout with Matt Venn
This three-hour workshop introduced semiconductor design, digital logic, simulation and creation of GDS files for manufacture. Participants worked in the open-source SkyWater/Sky130 process environment and learned how to submit a design through Tiny Tapeout’s manufacturing shuttle. It was an ASIC-design workflow, not merely a software demonstration.
Rank #3
- 30+ Guided Electronics Projects: Start with LEDs and build toward LCD1602 displays, RFID access, motion detection, distance sensing, motor control and environmental monitoring for STEM learning, coding clubs, classrooms and hobby projects
- 200+ Components Across 63 Types: Includes an ELEGOO UNO R3 controller, LCD1602, RC522 RFID, RTC, HC-SR501 PIR sensor, ultrasonic sensor, DHT11, GY-521, MAX7219, keypad, joystick, relay, SG90 servo, stepper motor, breadboard and more
- Begin Without Soldering: Pre-soldered modules, a solderless breadboard, organized storage case and small-parts box reduce setup time and help beginners move from lesson to lesson while keeping LEDs, ICs, wires and sensors easy to find
- Learn, Modify and Create: Program the ELEGOO UNO R3 board with Arduino IDE using the included PDF tutorial and example code, then adjust sensor thresholds, timing, display text and motor behavior to turn guided lessons into original projects
- Flexible Power and Project Setup: Includes a 9 V, 1 A power supply, breadboard power module, 9 V battery and USB cable to support controller, breadboard and module experiments without sourcing basic setup accessories separately
- Required: a laptop, a GitHub account and preferably a mouse.
- Important limitation: a physical chip and development-kit PCB were separate purchases, so completing the workshop did not guarantee a finished chip for every attendee.
- Best suited to: participants willing to install tools and learn basic digital-design concepts.
Hackaday’s workshop preview is at hackaday.com/2025/02/26/hackaday-europe-2025-workshops-and-more-speakers/. The project’s continuing home is tinytapeout.com.
Satisfying-Senseless-Sonic Add-On (SSSAO)
Mitch Altman led this two-hour build with Graham Booth and Urs Schmidt. Participants soldered a motor circuit to an I²C proto-petal badge add-on, attached a resonant object, and programmed a low-cost CH32V003-based RISC-V microcontroller using the cnlohr/ch32v003fun ecosystem. Multiple add-ons could be coordinated into a badge “orchestra,” optionally sequenced with a Raspberry Pi.
This workshop required soldering, firmware work and badge hardware, making it a poor fit for someone expecting a no-preparation beginner activity.
Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteWindows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallWhy the badge mattered
The 2025 Europe badge was based on Hackaday’s Supercon badge platform and centered on SAOs (Simple Add-Ons). Hackaday described revised firmware and a broad add-on selection, including contest-winning designs, a touch wheel, an LED spiral and CH32V003 prototyping boards.
Rank #4
- All-in-One Starter Kit for Beginners: Part of the Powered by Arduino program, this kit includes an original Arduino UNO R4 WiFi, 300+ high-quality components, 50+ hands-on projects (30 basic, 13 fun, and 8 IoT), and 100+ free video lessons co-created with renowned educator Paul McWhorter. Designed for beginners ages 8+, it provides a complete, step-by-step path to learn Arduino, electronics, coding, and IoT. RoHS compliant for added safety and quality, it also makes a thoughtful gift for tech enthusiasts, students, and aspiring makers for birthdays, holidays, and special occasions
- Powerful Arduino Uno R4 WiFi Board: Upgraded from the Arduino Uno R3, the Arduino Uno R4 WiFi features a 32-bit processor, more memory, and built-in WiFi and Bluetooth, enabling connection to third-party apps for more interactive and practical projects.
- 300+ Components for Endless Possibilities: With 300+ components and sensors, this kit is perfect for portable projects. It features step-by-step tutorials, open-source code, and compatibility with other Arduino boards like Uno R3 and Nano, offering endless customization and learning opportunities.
- Engaging Projects for Every Skill Level: Featuring 50 projects (30 basic, 13 fun, 8 IoT) with IoT app integration like Arduino IoT Cloud , this kit supports Arduino C++ programming, making it perfect for students, teachers, and engineers to learn, code, and create at any skill level.
- Dedicated Support for Beginners: Alongside online resources and video tutorials, SunFounder provides technical support and troubleshooting forums to help beginners solve programming challenges with ease.
Its importance was cultural as well as technical. Attendees could modify and combine a common platform, use it in the SSSAO workshop and demonstrate projects during the evening ceremony. The available event sources establish the SAO architecture and named add-ons, but not a complete electrical specification such as processor, display or battery details.
One follow-up project highlighted by Hackaday was a mechanically generated chase-light SAO that avoided both a 555 timer and a microcontroller. It illustrates the event’s taste for playful constraints and hardware that invites explanation, without establishing that it was an official competition winner.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Watching the event after Berlin
Remote viewers could follow Saturday’s talks through Hackaday’s YouTube streams and join the europe-2025 and badge-hacking Discord channels. Hackaday published the viewing guidance at hackaday.com/2025/03/15/hackaday-europe-2025-streaming-live/.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteFor recordings, start with the 2025 Hackaday Europe tag page, which links to post-event coverage, talk recordings and a playlist when those materials remain public. Video URLs and playlists can change, so the tag page is safer than assuming every original livestream link still works.
Best Value
- The most economical kit comes with everything compatible with Arduino to starting programming for beginners .
- This is the upgraded starter kits come with a 9V 1A Power Adapter (At least $5.99 on amazon) to replace a 9V Battery , and the Lcd1602 module come with pin header(not need to be soldered by yourself).
- Include High Quality Base Board base on Arduino UNO R3 compatible with Arduino IED and Sensors, Servo, Motor, ULN2003 driver board, lcds, etc.
- Free PDF Tutorial and Datasheet are available to download from our official website or you can contact our customer service.
- All of the Components and Integrated Circuits are individually packaged and labeled, and packing in a plastic box which is bigger enough for you.
Streaming reproduces the presentations, not the badge hacking, project tables, hallway demonstrations or spontaneous collaborations that defined the in-person experience.
Cost and practical limits
The announced prices—$75 early bird and $145 regular—applied only to the 2025 event. Workshop access was separate and expected to sell quickly. Hackaday reported that general tickets had sold out by March 13, so neither the prices nor the historical ticket links represent a current purchase opportunity. The ended listing is archived at Eventbrite.
Organizers promoted catered meals and live music as part of the event experience. Venue arrangements, workshop stock and badge availability are historical details, not promises for a future edition.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Who would have benefited most?
- Makers comfortable with soldering, firmware, PCBs or embedded systems.
- Hackerspace members looking for collaborators and project feedback.
- Engineers interested in unconventional implementations.
- Artists working with electronics, robotics, light, sound or physical computing.
- People who value informal community interaction as much as formal talks.
It was less suitable for visitors seeking a commercial technology expo, polished product launches, a beginner-only curriculum or a single narrow technical track. The program’s breadth—from compostable electronics and silicon imaging to pinball, flexible PCBs and participatory art—was its strength for interdisciplinary makers, but could feel unfocused to specialists.
Verdict
Hackaday Europe 2025 is best understood as a community-driven hardware gathering, not a conventional conference. The talks supplied technical range; Tiny Tapeout and SSSAO supplied real hands-on work; and the badge, projects and conversations turned the venue into a shared experimental platform. Future editions may change city, price, schedule and workshops, but the Berlin event shows what the European Hackaday format was designed to do: put open hardware and the people who build it in the same room.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
