Launched in 2013, the Arab Mobile App Challenge enables teams of up to six members under the age of 35 to develop mobile apps designed to make an impact in the education, health, entertainment and employability/entrepreneurship sectors.
This programme aims to introduce and educate young Arabs about entrepreneurship and the path to launching a start-up, as well as enhancing business skills and design abilities. Such was the success of the first edition that more than 15 percent of participants who reached the semi-final stages now have their own start-up businesses, fuelling economic growth and creating employment.
Applied Innovation Institute Board Member Dr. Paris Del’Etraz, said: “The app market is growing at a speed we never envisioned, changing the way we interact with the world and transforming the opportunities around us. It is the perfect platform to provide spaces for young Arab nationals to express their ideas, to launch start-ups, and to develop new and authentic Arabic content that is highly needed and demanded.’
Dr. Nasser Marafih, Group CEO, Ooredoo said: “Ooredoo supports projects that enable people to fulfil their dreams and aspirations, and we are particularly focused on entrepreneurial programmes for young people. We are continuing to support the Arab Mobile App Challenge because it enables young people to harness the power and potential of mobile technology, to improve their own careers and give back to their communities.”
Ooredoo supports a rich portfolio of youth entrepreneurial initiatives across its footprint, and is a founding partner of the Arab Mobile App Challenge.
In 2014, the programme has been expanded to offer a mix of direct and web-based activities open to teams of young people in the Middle East and North Africa, who will join participants in North America and South East Asia in the challenge. With the combined competitor base of the three regions, it will be the largest mobile app challenge in the world this year.
Top prizes include USD25,000, USD15,000 and USD10,000 rewards for first, second and third places, as well as the chance to compete in the Global App Challenge in Barcelona, hosted by the Mobile World Congress.
In addition, participants benefit from on-going support programmes, including mentorship, partner matching and development training, to enable the young participants to realise their start-up goals. In Qatar, the programme will be supported by the Qatar Business Incubation Centre.
Partners on the programme include Pearson, IE Business School, Mada, Oasis400, Wamda, MIT Enterprise Forum, Potential, In5, Intigral, Afkar.Me, Badir Lebanon, +961 Co Working Space, the Queen Rania Centre for Entrepreneurship, and Int@j Jordan.
Young people wishing to take part in the Challenge will have three months to register from today. Once registered, they will receive regular updates via email and social media, with training beginning in September, both online and in major cities across the Arab world.
For more information about the Arab Mobile App Challenge, see www.arabmobilechallenge.com.
About the Applied Innovation Institute
The Applied Innovation Institute (AII) is a non-profit California institution dedicated to providing world class academic programs that deliver excellence in innovation and entrepreneurship around the globe. It is made up primarily of leading faculty from the top engineering schools in the world, and meets regularly to discuss and develop world class academic curriculum in innovation and entrepreneurship education. Since 2011, it has annually developed and conducted the University Mobile Challenge, which involves over 70 universities internationally competing for the development of the best mobile apps and culminates in a grand final in Barcelona that coincides with the world GSMA conference. AII is now beginning to conduct, with regional partners, Mobile App Challenges in different regions of the world, starting in 2013 with the AMAC with Silatech.
