Following the success of the inaugural Vodacom App Star Challenge, in 2011, the talent search for innovative mobile applications is expanding its footprint by joining forces with the international Vodafone App Star Challenge.
Apart from SA, countries included are Egypt, Kenya, Lesotho, Qatar and Tanzania. According to Vodacom, the competition will now have both local and international segments.
"In the local challenge, the top three finalists will be rewarded for developing innovative apps. The top two finalists will also get an opportunity to compete against international participants from competing countries," says Vodacom.
The local Vodacom App Star Challenge is offering prizes in three different categories. The best student developed app will receive R10 000, a new iPad and assistance in developing and commercialising the app. The best start-up developed app will win R25 000, a Kindle e-book reader and access to referrals to capital and funders. Finally, the best established developer app will win R35 000, a Kindle e-book reader and international exposure.
The international challenge is offering cash prizes of $25 000, $15 000 and $10 000 for the first, second and third prizes respectively. The fourth and fifth prize winners will each receive $2 000.
Vodacom says: "Developers not only have an opportunity to design and showcase their apps in SA, they now have an opportunity to participate in the international Vodafone App Star Challenge which provides an opportunity to increase exposure of their apps by commercialising them to millions of customers globally."
Local talent
Managing executive of Digital Media at Vodacom, Prins Mhlanga, says: "In the 2011 Vodacom App Star Challenge, we saw some highly innovative apps come to the fore. This year we're hoping that innovation will be switched a notch higher and that it will also feature a variety of unique apps that may contribute towards helping South Africa in addressing its socio-economic challenges."
In an effort to discover and nurture local talent, Vodacom established its own Developer Programme last year, which included initiatives such as the Vodacom App Store and the local App Star Challenge.
"We couldn't just set a challenge without giving the contestants a platform, incentives and support required for developers to focus on the task of creating some truly unique apps," said Mhlanga earlier this year.
The Vodacom App Store hit over one million downloads in February, less than six months after its launch. At the time, Mhlanga said: "The real challenge has been to realise the ambition of kick-starting an entirely new industry in SA. We had to find a way to support and nurture talent and also celebrate the success stories."
The first winners of the App Star Challenge included Radiopod (an Android app which offers radio podcasts for local radio stations), Mobiraba (an Android app version of the traditional African board game) and PhraZApp (a Java app which translates South African languages).
Registration for the competition closes on 26 October, and all apps must be submitted by 2 November. Supported platforms are Symbian, Java, Android and BlackBerry.
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