#1 🚀 Welcome to "Solder Junction" : News, Builds, and Everything Makers Love
Issue 01 - June:July 2025
Hi Makers 👋,
We’re excited to welcome you to the very first issue of “Solder Junction”, a brand-new weekly newsletter curated for and by our vibrant maker community.
You might remember that we once had the MakerGram Live newsletter running on Mailchimp, our way of keeping the community updated with projects, events, and opportunities. It started with the same mission we have today: to connect makers and celebrate what we’re building together. But as things got busy, we weren’t able to keep it going regularly. So now, we’re restarting it with fresh energy, a new name, Solder Junction, and a new platform - Substack, to make it easier to write, share, and stay consistent. We’re excited to bring it back better than ever!
Why Solder Junction?
Because our community is buzzing with creativity, projects, ideas, and opportunities and this is where it all comes together. Each week, we’ll share a pulse of what’s happening:
🛠️ Cool projects from our community members
🌍 Maker news and events from around the globe
💼 Job openings and gig alerts
⚡ Contests, workshops, and learning opportunities
Let’s dive in! 👇
🚀 From the Workbench
As you know MakerChat is our monthly gathering of makers, tinkerers, and curious minds , a space to learn, share, and explore topics that matter to our community. So far, we’ve hosted 46 MakerChats, each focused on a specific area like 3D printing, Drone, or tinyML…etc.
Now, we’re taking it a step further with an experimental format called MakerChat 2.0. Instead of just discussions, we’re inviting participants to build alongside us. Each month, we pick a theme and guide everyone through checkpoints, mentorship support, and weekly meetups helping ideas turn into finished projects.
Last month’s theme was Digital Signage. We kicked things off with a live session at TinkerSpace, where we introduced the concept of digital signage and discussed the Seeed Interactive Digital Signage Contest. Throughout the month, we held follow-up checkpoints during Maker Thursday (weekly maker open gathering by TinkerSpace).
We’re thrilled to share that Shamsu and Neha completed their projects and published their documentation on Hackster. Their work is a great example of how structured collaboration can spark real outcomes, I will share their project under the Community highlights.
And as part of Raspberry Pi Jam 2025, we’re excited to share that the community received the latest Raspberry Pi 5 with 16GB RAM, gifted directly by Raspberry Pi and it has been proudly handed over to TinkerSpace for everyone to explore and build with. We’re also getting a free one-year subscription to The MagPi, Raspberry Pi’s official magazine, for the space.
A big thanks to each and every member who made this possible, it’s truly a moment of giving back to the community 🙌.
🛠️ MakerChat Update
A look into our latest MakerChat event for the June and July.
🗓️ June MakerChat0x2D: Building Interactive Signage
For the month of June, we chose the theme "Building Interactive Signage" as a way to kick off MakerChat 2.0 and actively involve community members in hands-on learning. The goal was to give everyone a chance to explore the topic, build something themselves, and participate in the Seeed Interactive Signage Contest 2025, creating an opportunity to turn ideas into real projects.
🗓️ July MakerChat0x2E: Building with XIAO nRF
Led by Abhay PA , this session focused on exploring the capabilities of the compact and powerful XIAO nRF board. From wireless communication to interactive builds, participants got hands-on insights into how this tiny board can be used for creative and connected projects.
📣 We’re currently planning the topic and speaker for August MakerChat, and we’d love to hear your ideas! If there’s a subject you’re excited about or someone you’d like to see lead the session, let us know in the comment box or drop us an email. This is your chance to shape the next MakerChat, your input matters!
🔥 Community Highlights
Makers from our community are building some amazing things, here are a few highlights to inspire you.
NoPawZone by Shamsu
NoPawZone is a real-time pet detection digital signage system powered by the Grove Vision AI Module V2. You can find the full project documentation here.
Motion Mirror by Shamsu
Motion Mirror is a playful interactive signage concept where an animated character on screen mimics your face movement. You can find the fully project documentation here.
HopeCap by Neha Kamal
HopeCap – A Voice of Comfort in the Workplace. Neha Kamal faced a tough year in her corporate journey, battling self-doubt and a loss of confidence. With the support of a few mentors, she regained her footing and this project was inspired by that journey of growth and resilience. You can find the fully project documentation here.
LumiTrap : 3D-Printed Solar UV Bug Trap for Eco-Friendly Pest Control by Gokul
Seeking a non-toxic and sustainable method to rіd your space of insects? This solar-powered bug trap presents an eco-conscious alternative, removing the necessity for chemicals or pesticides, thereby ensuring safety for individuals and the environment. Made by Gokul, You can find the fully project documentation here.
Smart Pill Dispenser by team CodersCafe: Nekhil and Shebin Jose Jacob
A DIY Smart Pill Dispenser that automates medication reminders and dispensing using a web app and particle. They also won award for Tiny & Shiny in Machine Builder Competition by hackster.io 👏. You can find the fully project documentation here.
Open Kiosk - Build Your Own Smart POS System for Retail Stores by Mukesh Sankhla
Are you a small business owner, market vendor, or pop-up shop operator looking for an affordable, professional, and open-source point-of-sale system? Checkout Mukesh latest project Open Kiosk.
🏆 Contests and Challenges
Put your skills to the test with exciting contests and win kits, cash prizes, and global recognition.
Interactive Signage Contest 2025 by SeeedStudio
Deadline to submit your project: August 15, 2025.
But what if signage could do more than just display? What if it could talk, sing, light up, or even move? That’s exactly what we’re exploring with the Interactive Signage Contest 2025. Contest link.
Edge AI Earth Guardians with EDGE AI FOUNDATION by Hackster.io
Deadline to submit your project: September 24, 2025 .
Hackster calling on engineers, developers, and technologists worldwide to propose innovative Edge AI solutions that address critical environmental challenges, with a focus on wildlife protection, deforestation prevention, and ecosystem monitoring. Contest link.
One Hertz Challenge by Hackaday.io
Deadline to submit your project: August 19, 2025
For this challenge, Hackaday want you to design a device where something happens once per second. How accurately you pace the beat, how absurd the display, or how diabolical the mechanism behind it all. Let your creativity run wild, as long as something happens at that most fundamental of all frequencies. Contest link.
🗓️ Events and Meetups
Join upcoming workshops, MakerChats, and tech meetups happening in your city and online.
Surgical IntraOP Automation Hackathon by TinkerSpace
Kerala’s First Medico + Engineering Hackathon! - Calling all medical professionals, advanced medical students, engineers, and makers
Join forces with top AI researchers, roboticists & hardware engineers to prototype next-gen surgical automation solutions. Individual applications only. Don’t miss this first-of-its-kind opportunity to build at the intersection of healthcare and technology!
Kerala Innovation Festival 2025 by Kerala Startup Mission
The Kerala Innovation Festival (KIF) is a celebration of ideas, creativity, and collaboration. It's where startups, creators, investors, policymakers, and students come together to shape the future through innovation. More Information here https://innovationfestival.in/ .
TinyML with Edge Impulse & XIAO by Makergram
In this hands-on workshop at Super FabLab Kerala, learn how to build & deploy TinyML models on ultra-low-power hardware using Edge Impulse & the XIAO ESP32S3 Sense. More details & register: https://fabfest.innovationfestival.in/electronics
💼 Jobs and Gigs
Explore job openings and freelance opportunities perfect for makers and engineers.
SeeedStudio Hiring Application Engineer
Seeed building a worldwide network of technical creators and looking for Application Engineers who love turning hardware into real-world solutions. Work remotely, choose your hours, and help shape the future of open hardware. Apply here
Edge Impulse (a Qualcomm company) Hiring DevRel Engineer
Edge Impulse streamlines the creation of AI and machine learning models for edge hardware, allowing devices to make decisions and offer insight where data is gathered is hiring - Apply here
📝 A Note from MakerGram Team.
As passionate makers and electronics enthusiasts, we’ve been fortunate to receive countless opportunities over the years , thanks to the support of the people and communities around us. We've always wanted to give back in a meaningful way.
One question we often hear from fellow makers is: “Where can I find upcoming events, contests, or opportunities?” The truth is, this information is often scattered across the internet. That’s what inspired us to create Solder Junction, a single place to bring it all together and keep our community informed, inspired, and connected.
This is just the beginning. We have so much more to share in the coming editions, and we’d love your support, feedback, and encouragement as we grow.
Let’s keep building, together.
💬 We’d Love Your Feedback
Enjoyed this issue of Solder Junction? Have thoughts on how we can make it better?
We’d love to hear from you!
If you’d like to feature your project, share a job opportunity, or contribute any community update, just drop us an email at mail[at]makergram.com . This newsletter grows stronger with your ideas, stories, and contributions.
Let’s keep building, together. Thank You 🙌.
Follow us on:
Thank you, Salman, for writing this and revitalising the newsletter.
Solder Junction already feels like a hub where everything significant in the maker world comes together.
The introduction captures the essence of what MakerGram represents: connecting, building, and growing as a community.
I am excited to see what’s coming next. Let’s continue building together ⚡️