Bharti Airtel has introduced an application challenge for start-up developers as it seeks to attract the next big app developers into the Airtel group of companies.
The company is the world’s third largest telecommunications services provider with operations in 20 countries across Africa and Asia.
The challenge, a partnership between Bharti Airtel; Singaporean Telecommunications Company, Singtel; and smartphone company, Samsung, seeks to attract developers in Africa and Asia, who will collaborate with the companies to launch applications on the two continents.
Announcing the partnership, the Chief Executive Officer, Airtel Africa, Mr. Christian de Faria, said that the challenge was part of the company’s commitment to empowering the youth to realise their potential in various sectors, including Information and Communications Technology.
De Faria said, “This initiative is a great opportunity for developers in Africa to come up with innovative mobile apps that directly touch individual consumer’s needs. We hope to collaborate with like-minded individuals who will come forward and work together with us to come up with apps that will help us deliver the best smartphone experience for customers.
“Under the partnership, Airtel Africa will provide all operational support by running the campaign promotions, while Singtel and Samsung will organise a two-day mentorship programme for the regional winners and the finale in November 2015.
“The five-month app challenge will see participants develop consumer-centric mobile applications that will leverage on mobile network services – mobile, data, carrier billing, location and SMS.”
He added, “The deadline for applications submission is September 5, 2015 after which two African winners will be selected to participate in a start-up mentorship programme in October 2015 in Singapore.
“The overall winners will be announced in November 2015 and expected to commence assignment with Airtel/Singtel group of companies in 2016.”
According to a 2014 Flurry Analytics study, mobile applications command 86 per cent of the time that the average mobile consumer spends on his or her smartphone, while smartphone users spend an average of two hours and 42 minutes on mobile devices with app usage accounting for two hours and 19 minutes of this time.
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