China’s independent and student developer community is being invited to participate in a new ‘Ubuntu Developer Innovation Contest’ with the chance to win $10,000 cash.
The contest is an extension of national carrier China Mobile’s ‘”AND Your Dream Come True” Million Youth Entrepreneurship and Employment Programme’ . Launched in 2010 with support from the Communist Youth League Central Committee, ‘AND’ aims to give young people employment opportunities and foster a sense of “can do”.
The Ubuntu Developer Innovation contest is open to China’s university students, indie devs and open source enthusiasts and hopes to “engage developers with the next generation of mobile experiences on Ubuntu … that don’t revolve around apps and the app icon grid.”
Finalists will be selected for two tracks: student and independent developers. Prizes on offer for the best ‘mobile experiences’ includes ¥70,000 cash — roughly $10,000 US — and new mobile devices. The winner of the student track has the chance of scoring an internship at Canonical.
For more details visit the “Complete Your Dream” Million Youth Entrepreneur Plan website (it’s in Chinese, naturally). Entrants have until the end of April 2015 to submit applications and scopes. Finalists will be selected in June 2015.
The contest announcement comes as the Ubuntu Developer portal launches a new, mobile-ready design and adds links to non-English documentation and tutorials.
I Don’t Live In China, So Why Should I Care?
Chances are this site is blocked in China, so most of the information above is perhaps moot.
But in the grand scheme, it’s not. This contest may be exclusive to China but the benefits and successes it brings to the platform will have a positive knock-on effect for the rest of us.
Seven thousands miles may separate China and the San Francisco Starbucks franchise you’re reading this article at, but code, momentum and attention are not.