HackerNoon Projects of the Week: Pantry Pilot, RecomendeMe & Charmpay

Welcome to the first edition of HackerNoon Projects of the Week, where we spotlight standout projects from the Proof of Usefulness Hackathon,HackerNoon’s competition designed to measure what actually matters: real utility over hype.

Each week, we’ll highlight projects that demonstrate clear usefulness, technical execution, and real-world impact - backed by data, not buzzwords.

This week, we’re excited to share three projects that have proven their utility by solving concrete problems for real users: Pantry Pilot, RecomendeMe, and Charmpay.

Meet the Projects of The Week

Meet Pantry Pilot

https://hackernoon.com/pantry-pilot-proves-usefulness-by-automating-restaurant-food-costing-with-ai?embedable=true

Pantry Pilot is an AI-powered platform built to solve one of the most painful operational problems in the restaurant industry: food costing and inventory accuracy.

By automating recipe costing, inventory tracking, and supplier price fluctuations, Pantry Pilot gives restaurant operators real-time visibility into food costs - something traditionally managed through spreadsheets, manual inputs, and guesswork. The result is tighter margins, less waste, and better decision-making at scale.

Instead of adding complexity, Pantry Pilot removes friction from daily restaurant operations, allowing teams to focus on running profitable kitchens rather than reconciling numbers.

Proof of Usefulness score: +56 / 1000

Meet RecomendeMe

https://hackernoon.com/recomendeme-earns-a-56-proof-of-usefulness-score-by-building-a-human-first-recommendation-platform?embedable=true

RecomendeMe is a human-first recommendation platform built to restore trust and transparency in how recommendations are created and consumed.

Rather than relying on opaque algorithms optimized for clicks, RecomendeMe centers real people and real intent by helping users discover products, services, and experiences through authentic recommendations that prioritize relevance over manipulation.

Its usefulness lies in challenging the dominant recommendation model and offering a credible alternative that aligns incentives between users, creators, and businesses.

Proof of Usefulness score: +56 / 1000

Meet Charmpay

https://hackernoon.com/charmpay-earns-a-53-proof-of-usefulness-score-by-building-secure-escrow-based-payments-for-online-transactions?embedable=true

Charmpay is a secure, escrow-based payment platform designed to make online transactions safer for buyers and sellers who don’t already trust each other.

By holding funds in escrow until both parties meet agreed conditions, Charmpay reduces fraud, disputes, and payment anxiety, especially in peer-to-peer, freelance, and online marketplace transactions where traditional payment systems fall short.

Its usefulness is straightforward and practical: enabling transactions that might not otherwise happen by removing risk from both sides.

Proof of Usefulness score: +53 / 1000

You Too Can Get Scored

What is Proof of Usefulness?

It's our answer to a web drowning in vaporware and empty promises. We evaluate projects based on:
▪️ Real user adoption
▪️ Sustainable revenue
▪️ Technical stability
▪️ Genuine utility

Projects score from -100 to +1000. Top scorers compete for**$20K in cash and $130K+ in software credits**.

You’ll be in good company. The hackathon is backed by teams who ship production software for a living - Bright Data, Neo4j, Storyblok, Algolia, and HackerNoon.

What happens when you submit:

1. Get your free Proof of Usefulness score instantly
2. Your submission becomes a HackerNoon article (published within days)
3. Compete for monthly prizes
4. All participants get rewards

Complete guide on how to submit here.

Thanks for building useful things!
P.S. Submissions roll monthly through June 2026. Get in early!