This morning at Wireless Enterprise Symposium 2009 Conference, RIM announced the 2009 BlackBerry Developers Challenge. While this is the second year that the BlackBerry Partners Fund are are sponsoring the challenge, the focus for this year's contest has shifted slightly and entries will be evaluated on both the application and its supporting business plan. Bold move.
Here is a high level overview of the challenge and the prizes that are up for grabs: Grand Prize Package worth $50,000 (including a $25,000 Cash Prize and $25,000 value package including mentoring sessions with RIM executives, a free Alliance Membership courtesy of RIM, mention in the challenge press release, and an opportunity to pitch BlackBerry Partners Fund for a potential investment. A runner-up will receive a $10,000 cash prize. There will be ten finalists who will all receive their DevCon registration for free.
Developers can pre-register online to receive details on the challenge. Submissions officially open on June 1st and the winner will be selected at the BlackBerry Developers Conference on November 9-11, 2009 in San Francisco.
Last year, Calgary's Multiplied Media Corporation's Poynt application won the Personal Productivity and Lifestyle category as well as one of three Best of Show Grand Prizes. Congrats to Multiplied Media. Other Best in Show Grand Prize winners included Corvallis-based Strands Inc. and Santa Cruz's Nobex Technologies.
At last, an easy to-use, all-in-one tool to connect you with local businesses, retailers and events while you’re on the go. From inspiration to... [more]
The BlackBerry Partners Fund™ is a $150 million venture capital fund focused on applications and services including mobile commerce (payments,... [more]
Strands develops technologies to better understand people's taste and help them discover things they like and didn't know about. Strands has... [more]
Ever heard a song on the radio and thought you’d like to have it on your MP3 player? Now you can, with Nobex Radio Companion! You'll never have... [more]
Rob Lewis
Rob is the President of Techvibes Media Inc. and Editor-in-Chief of Techvibes.com.
His diverse background includes stints in International Trade Finance, Web Development, and Enterprise Software and he is a graduate of the University of British Columbia, British Columbia Institute of Technology, and Simon Fraser University.
When not blogging on...[more]
