Google Announces Sub-Saharan Africa Android Developer Challenge – Winners in Each Category to Receive $25000

Every day more than 300,000 Android devices are activated globally. A growing number of these mobile device activations are in markets across Africa, making local African mobile content more relevant and important than ever before. In recognition of this, Google today announced its Google Android Developer Challenge, inviting talented and creative developers in sub-Saharan Africa to design and build original Android applications for mobile phones that will delight users.

Categories for entries include entertainment, media and games; social networking and communications; and productivity, tools and lifestyle. Winners will each receive an Android phone and $25,000 (USD).

“In the past year alone, we have met with over 10,000 developer and techies across Sub Saharan Africa. We are continually impressed by the ingenuity and enthusiasm of this community to solve real problems with technology, ” says Bridgette Sexton, Program Manager at Google. “At every Google event in Africa, Android is the most popular topic – as Android users multiply, so does the appeal for developers to build apps on this free open source platform.”

Participants can submit applications via the challenge website by 1st July 2011. The winning application will be announced on September 12th 2011.

A number of Android Developer Challenge events will also be held across the region. Go to the website for more information.

Website: http://code.google.com/android/adcafrica/

Competition Overview
You can participate by developing a killer application built on Android. The sections below provide information about the types of applications you can enter, as well as the contest information and dates.
Developers submit their apps to one of three specially-designated ADC categories beginning June 1st at 12 AM GMT. An application may only be submitted to a single category.

Categories
Entertainment / Media / Games
Social Networking / Communication
Productivity / Tools / Lifestyle

To determine the winner, there is a two round submission process. All apps that want to be considered for the competition, must be submit by July 1st, 2011. There are three competition regions — West & Central Africa, East Africa and Southern Africa. Applications will then be reviewed by our judging committee for the top three apps in each region by category (27 in total). Those who reach the final round, will be awarded Android devices and given six weeks to make their apps even better. Finally, our winners in each category will be announced September 12th and will be awarded $25,000. A combined total of $75,000 will be awarded.

Timeline
April 14th: Competition begins.
June 1st: App submissions open.
July 1st: First round submissions are due at 11:59 PM GMT.
July 15th: Finalist applications announced.
August 30th: Finalist applications are due at 11:59 PM GMT.
September 12th: Winners are announced.

About Google Inc.
Google’s innovative search technologies connect millions of people around the world with information every day. Founded in 1998 by Stanford Ph.D. students Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Google today is a top web property in all major global markets. Google’s mission in Africa is to make the internet an integral part of every day life in Africa, by increasing it’s relevance and usefulness, eliminating access barriers for potential users, and developing products that are meaningful for the countries in the region. Google is headquartered in Silicon Valley with offices throughout the Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia.

For more information, visit http://www.google.com/africa
Africa Blog: http://google-africa.blogspot.com/
Twitter: www.twitter.com/googleafrica
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