The Vodacom App Star Challenge goes international

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African mobile communications firm Vodacom has launched its second talent search for innovative Apps and is also rolling out the competition internationally.

The company which provides voice messaging, data and converged services to some 45 million customers, is offering an international prize fund of $25,000.

This year, the South African-based company is also seeking entries from Egypt, Kenya, Lesotho, Qatar and Tanzania.

The competition gives developers an opportunity to design and showcase their apps and provides an opportunity to increase exposure of their apps by commercialising them to millions of customers globally.

The competition has two segments - the local and the international challenge. In the local challenge, the top three finalists will be rewarded for developing innovative apps.

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The top two finalists will also get an opportunity to compete against international participants from competing countries. 

Winners of the international challenge will be eligible for $25 000, $15 000 and $10 000 cash prizes for the first, second and third prizes respectively; and the fourth and fifth prize winners will receive $2 000 each.

Prins Mhlanga, Managing Executive of Digital Media at Vodacom, said: “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.”

For more information or to register for this competition, developers can visit http://www.vodafoneappstar.com/. Registration will close on October 26, 2012.