Welcome to the latest HackerNoon Projects of the Week installment. Each week, we shine a light on standout projects from our Proof of Usefulness Hackathon—a contest built around the core question every builder should answer: Is my product actually useful in the real world?
For each edition, we’ll highlight projects that demonstrate clear usefulness, technical execution, and real-world impact; all backed by data and not witty buzzwords.
This week, we’re excited to share three projects that have proven their utility by solving concrete problems for real users: Safe Trade Services, PvNP, and Real-Time Data Quality Monitor.
Meet the Projects of the Week
Safe Trade Services
https://hackernoon.com/safe-trade-services-earns-a-43-proof-of-usefulness-score-by-building-identity-verification-for-p2p-transactions?embedable=true
Safe Trade Services is a solution to one of the core challenges in peer-to-peer transactions: trust. The project focuses on building an identity verification layer that helps users validate counterparties before completing transactions, reducing the risk of fraud and disputes in decentralized or informal marketplaces. By introducing structured verification into P2P exchanges, it aims to make transactions safer and more reliable, earning a Proof of Usefulness score of 43 for addressing a clear, real-world need around secure digital trade.
Proof of Usefulness Score: +43/1000
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See Safe Trade Services’ Full Proof of Usefulness Report
Read their story on HackerNoon
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PvNP
https://hackernoon.com/pvnp-earns-a-21-proof-of-usefulness-score-by-building-an-interactive-tsp-solver-and-visualizer?embedable=true
PvNP is an early-stage educational tool designed to make complex optimization problems more intuitive through interaction. By building an interactive solver and visualizer for the Traveling Salesperson Problem, it helps users understand algorithmic behavior through real-time animations and step-by-step exploration, earning a Proof of Usefulness score of 21 for its focus on making abstract concepts more accessible to learners.
Proof of Usefulness Score: +21/1000
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See PvNP’s full Proof of Usefulness report.
Read their story on HackerNoon.
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Real-Time Data Quality Monitor
https://hackernoon.com/real-time-data-quality-monitor-earns-a-54-proof-of-usefulness-score-by-building-an-open-source-data-observability-dashboard?embedable=true
Real-Time Data Quality Monitor is an open-source data observability tool designed to detect issues in data pipelines as they happen. Built using technologies like Kafka, dbt, and machine learning, it focuses on identifying anomalies, data drift, and pipeline failures in real time, helping teams maintain data reliability before issues cascade downstream. By combining monitoring with actionable insights, the project aims to improve trust in data systems and earned a Proof of Usefulness score of 54 for addressing a critical need in modern data engineering workflows.
Proof of Usefulness Score: +54/1000
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See Real-Time Data Quality Monitor’s full Proof of Usefulness report.
Read their story on HackerNoon.
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Stop Building in the Dark – Get Scored!
The web is drowning in vaporware and empty promises. We created Proof of Usefulnessto reward what actually matters: real user adoption, sustainable revenue, and technical stability. n
Why submit?
1. Instant Validation: Get your Proof of Usefulness score (from -100 to +1000) the moment you submit. n 2. The Prize Pool: Compete for $20K in cash and $130K+ in software credits from Bright Data, Neo4j, Storyblok, Algolia, and HackerNoon. n 3. Built-in Distribution: Your submission becomes a HackerNoon story, putting your build in front of millions of monthly readers. n 4. Rewards for All: Every qualifying participant unlocks a suite of software credits just for entering.
How to Enter:
1. Get Your Score: Head to www.proofofusefulness.com and submit your project details to generate your PoU Report Card. n 2. Generate Your Draft: Click the button on your report page to convert your submission into a HackerNoon blog post draft. n 3. Refine & Publish: Edit your draft to add your technical “secret sauce,” then hit Submit for Review. Once published, you’re officially in the prize queue! n
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Complete guide on how to submit here.
P.S. The clock is ticking!
Month four is already underway, and another round of winners is right around the corner. With just 2 months and a mega prize round left to go, the window is closing—get your project in the mix now.
👉 Submit Your Project Now!
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Thanks for building useful things! n P.S. Submissions roll monthly through June 2026. Get in early!
