Started in 2011 by Pavel Curda (an angel investor, entrepreneur and fellow blogger) and run twice, the API Mashup Contest is coming back. Claimed as the biggest API playground in the world, the contest is open to every developer, who can submit their API mashup until 31st May 2012.
Partnering with the most frequently APIs provider used by developers, Google, API Mashup Contest adds GUG.cz, a member of GTUGs, a community playground for developers to meet, learn from each other and create cool apps together.
“We know that the there are many great minds and great ideas in the developer community that still wait for their moment of fame. We love the opportunity that the API Mashup Contest offers them to get on the spotlight and attract others to evolve them further,” says Dan Franc, the coordinator of GUG.cz and international GTUG consultant.
The judges include Esther Dyson, a well-known angel investor, Gillian Muessig, the founding president of SEOmoz, Martin Bryant, managing editor at The Next Web, Jon Bradford of London-based accelerator Springboard, and some leading investors from Poland.
Daniel Mendalka from GTUG Poland and the Contest Ambassador for Poland, stresses the importance of the project.
The best projects will receive cool prizes and further help, including mentoring and links to angel investors. APIs are business tools, which above all will make future business decisions easier. The winners will be announced in mid-June and receive media coverage thanks to media sponsor like The Next Web or Deutsche Startups.
API’s are getting more and more sexy and a growing number of companies see the creation of an API as new product channel, or to distribute their technology without the cost of doing themselves.
What often not so well-known about API is that they can be used internally: they can accelerate innovation thanks open sharing of resources, without the slowness of traditional organization (wait for the permission or just to get the code).
Providing APIs, big companies also help developer leverage what’s on their brain to create new experienc for end user, without the pain of solving the same problems that millions of people have already done.
Call to swiss developers, take the opportunity! Prove that we can also do wonderful things here!