Smart and Nokia Launch SIP Apps Challenge for Philippine-Based Companies

Strategic Insights -

Smart Communications, Inc. and Nokia have jointly launched a competition for Philippine-based companies and start-ups to develop applications using the emerging digital communications protocol, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP). The SIP Apps Challenge offers training opportunities and grants totaling P6 million (US$110,233) to fund and bring winning applications to market in the Philippines. The competition aims to promote and increase skills sets for SIP, a signaling protocol used for establishing multimedia sessions on an Internet Protocol (IP) network. Edgardo R. Bautista, Smart's head for mobile value-added services operations and development, expressed excitement about the initiative, stating that it will foster technological innovation among content providers. Hemant Madan, head of Nokia's development program Forum Nokia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific, added that the competition will give developers in the Philippines a unique opportunity to build SIP applications with funding and support.

Key Takeaways:

  • The SIP Apps Challenge is a joint initiative by Smart Communications, Inc. and Nokia to promote the development of applications using SIP in the Philippines.
  • The competition offers up to P6 million (US$110,233) in grants and training opportunities to support the development of winning applications.
  • The challenge covers five main application categories: games, community applications, enterprise, file-sharing/collaborative applications, and music entertainment applications.
  • Up to 10 entries will be selected to submit a final application proposal, which will include a PC emulator demo.
  • Up to 10 shortlisted entries will receive P100,000 as an initial development grant, while up to five grand prize winners will receive P1,000,000 development grants each.
  • The competition is open to Philippine-based companies and start-ups, with a kick-off event scheduled for May 3, 2005.
  • Forum Nokia will provide training workshops to equip local developers with skills to create ip multimedia subsystem (IMS) applications.
  • The cooperation is between Smart Communications, Nokia, ePLDT, and Wollfac Mobile Inc.

Statistics:

  • The competition offers up to P6 million (US$110,233) in grants.
  • 50+ Filipino developer companies and start-ups will be invited to submit proposals and concept ideas for the challenge.
  • 10 entries will be selected to submit a final application proposal.
  • 10 shortlisted entries will receive P100,000 as an initial development grant.
  • 5 grand prize winners will receive P1,000,000 development grants each.
  • The training workshops will be conducted by Forum Nokia.

Sources:

  • "Smart, Nokia Launch SIP Apps Challenge in the Philippines" - Asia Pulse, April 19 (no year specified)
  • (PNA) 19-04 1951