BlackBerry Partners Fund Launches US$3 Million BlackBerry Developer Challenge
Fourth Annual Developer Challenge Includes BlackBerry PlayBook Apps, Adds Recognition Awards
TORONTO – The BlackBerry Partners Fund™ has launched the fourth annual BlackBerry Partners Fund Developer Challenge. This year, developers of BlackBerry® smartphone and BlackBerry PlayBook™ tablet applications can enter their applications in a series of competitions to win US$3 million in prizes. Winners will be selected on a regional basis across four global regions – North America, Latin America, Europe/Middle East/Africa and Asia Pacific.
This year’s Challenge includes the following three competitions:
• Best Adobe Flash®/AIR app
• Most Innovative BlackBerry WebWorks™ app on the BlackBerry PlayBook and BlackBerry 6
• Most Addictive social app using the BBM™ Social Platform
“The BlackBerry Partners Fund Developer Challenge was created three years ago to recognize, reward and celebrate innovation within the BlackBerry developer community. While the structure of the Challenge has evolved each year, our focus remains the same – to uncover the best apps around the globe that people cannot live without,” said Kevin Talbot, Co-managing Partner at BlackBerry Partners Fund. “For this year’s Challenge, we’re also very excited to be inviting app submissions for the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet.”
Submission Dates
Both newly developed and existing applications are eligible to compete in this year’s BlackBerry Partners Fund Developer Challenge. To participate in the Challenge, application forms for each competition (available at www.blackberrypartnersfund.com/submission) must be completed and submitted within the following dates:
• Best Flash/AIR Mobile App for BlackBerry PlayBook – can be submitted starting, April 28, 2011 through August 12, 2011
• Most Innovative BlackBerry WebWorks app on the BlackBerry PlayBook and BlackBerry 6 – can be submitted from May 9, 2011 through August 26, 2011
• Most Addictive social app using the BBM Social Platform – can be submitted later this summer; check the Challenge website for submission dates
Recognition Awards
New this year in addition to the Challenge, the BlackBerry Partners Fund will be honoring applications in six categories to receive a Recognition Award. The recipients, which will be recognized regionally, will be selected in the following categories:
• Best B2C application developed for a customer by an Agency or ISV
• Most useful enterprise application
• Best website conversion using the BlackBerry WebWorks platform
• Most creative implementation of Super App characteristics
• Top Performers – Most innovative use of Payment Service and/or Advertising Service
• Academic – Most compelling app created by student or faculty
Judging and Prizes
All winners of the 2011 BlackBerry Partners Fund Developer Challenge will be recognized at the 2011 BlackBerry Developer Conference (DEVCON), October 18 – 20 in San Francisco. Judges will evaluate all applications submitted based on their quality, innovation, creativity and compelling user experience.
This year’s prizing is valued at $3 million, almost double the value of prizes awarded last year. The first 100 eligible applications submitted to each of the three competitions in the Challenge will receive prize packages. In addition, prizes will be awarded to applications selected as the first and second runners-up and winner in each competition in each region.
Prizes and awards include placement on the BlackBerry App World™ featured carousel for one week; BlackBerry smartphones and tablets; membership in the BlackBerry Alliance Program; BlackBerry accessory gift certificates; and more.
Information Links
For more information on the BlackBerry Partners Fund Developer Challenge, including complete rules, guidelines, awards and prize packages for each Challenge and each Recognition Award, please visit www.blackberrypartnersfund.com/challenge.
To submit an application to the BlackBerry Partners Fund Developer Challenge, please visit www.blackberrypartnersfund.com/submission.
For more information on the BlackBerry Developer Conference 2011, please visit www.blackberrydevcon.com/.
About BlackBerry Partners Fund
BlackBerry Partners Fund is the leading independent venture capital firm focused exclusively on mobile computing. In collaboration with Research In Motion, along with Thomson Reuters and RBC, the global fund brings capital, resources and unparalleled domain expertise to the partnerships it forms with exceptional entrepreneurs around the world who are shaping the future of the mobile eco-system. The Fund has an investment footprint throughout North America, the United Kingdom and Israel. For more information, visit www.blackberrypartnersfund.com.
