NAVTEQ Announces the Semifinalists and Judges Panel of the NAVTEQ Global LBS Challenge® for the APAC Region
Winners to be revealed at awards ceremony during CommunicAsia
Tweet-- NAVTEQ, the leading global provider of digital map, traffic and location data for in-vehicle, portable, wireless and enterprise solutions, today announced the semifinalists of the APAC edition of the NAVTEQ Global LBS Challenge. The Global LBS Challenge is a world-wide developer competition conducted by NAVTEQ Network for Developers™ (NN4D), NAVTEQ’s global community and support program for LBS developers and business partners. Every year it invites developers to build and submit original, pre-commercialized mobile applications using dynamic positioning technology and NAVTEQ® maps. The 2009 edition will be concluded with the APAC Awards ceremony at CommunicAsia.
Thirteen applications have now been selected to move on to Final Judging in Singapore. The winners will be announced at CommunicAsia during an awards ceremony at the NAVTEQ Stand (3L2-07) on 17 June, 2009 at 1530h. The awards ceremony is open to all CommunicAsia attendees. The semifinalists for the NAVTEQ Global LBS Challenge – APAC include:
- 3 Door Trading Pvt. Ltd, India: Bargain Seeker allows businesses and individuals to offer discounted products to consumers.
- 3 Door Trading Pvt. Ltd, India: Services Seeker allows consumers to connect with potential service providers based on their location.
- MakeMyTrip.com, India: Shout Out! helps travelers to connect and share information with other travelers.
- Nano Equipment Pte Ltd, Singapore: Geo-tagged Mobile Video Broadcast takes video broadcast and sharing to the next level by enabling users to broadcast geo-tagged live videos from their mobile phones to the web.
- Navitime Japan Co., Ltd., Japan: NAVITIME is a multi-modal navigation solution combining different methods of transportation including pedestrian and car.
- Realeyes3D, France: Motion Maps allows mobile users to pan across digital maps in this LBS application by just tilting the phone.
- tenCube, Singapore: WaveSecure protects the user’s mobile device, data and privacy against theft.
- Tenzeng, Australia: LostAndFound is a suite of applications that enables call center operators to help customers find their lost mobile devices.
- TourSpot, LLC, USA: TourSpot is a walking tour and city guide application with integrated location-based content and mobile coupons.
- Urban Team, Germany: FastFoot-Challege is a multi-player GPS action game where fans can track the action live.
- ValueFirst Connect Ltd, India: Redgift locates nearby potential volunteer blood-donors for emergency cases.
- Yatra Online Private Limited, India: Hotel Companion enables travelers to locate and learn about points of interest in their area.
- Yoose GmbH, Germany: In-Game Location-Based Couponing ties location-based advertising promotions with free mobile games.
“The Global LBS Challenge is a proven trend setter and a way to get traction for new technologies, platforms, handset features and new use cases for LBS. This year, the APAC region has surfaced new uses for mobile navigation, location-based imaging, advertising, social networking, gaming and making use of a handset’s motion sensor – all great examples of how LBS can be used as an enabler for a richer mobile experience,” comments Marc Naddell, vice president, partner & developer programs, NAVTEQ. “I know the APAC judges − representing a broad spectrum of the value chain – will enjoy evaluating and picking a winner from this strong field of contestants.”
Final Judging will take place on Monday, June 15, 2009 in Singapore. The panel of judges includes:
· Valerie Cheng, Creative Director, Arc Worldwide Singapore
· Kunal Bajaj, Managing Director, BDA Connect (India)
· Thomas M. Owen, Vice President, Wireless Development & Alliances, deCarta
· Shawn Chui, Assistant Technology Manager, Solution Application Planning, HTC
· Chin Yook Siong, CTO, Global Technology Solution, IBM Solutions and Services
· Kenny Mathers, Head of APAC Developer Relations, Forum Nokia Asia
· Hyun-Yong Park, Manager, Content Planning Group, Samsung
· Edward Ying, Chief of Content & Media Services Group, SingTel
· Liu Peng, Head of Sony Ericsson Developer World China
Notes to Editor
About the NAVTEQ Global LBS Challenge
First launched in 2003, the NAVTEQ Global LBS Challenge is focused on driving the development and visibility of innovative navigation solutions for wireless devices. From wireless business applications to sports, travel and security, integrating the accuracy and richness of NAVTEQ digital map data facilitates the timely evolution of the next wave of LBS. Over 30% of past semifinalists have gone on to receive venture capital funding or launch commercially-distributed applications. For more information on this year’s competition, go to www.LBSChallenge.com.
About NAVTEQ Network for Developers
NAVTEQ Network for Developers (NN4D) is a dynamic online web portal and global community that provides developers and business partners with the technical and business support needed to build, showcase and launch the most innovative location-enabled solutions. Connect with the people, tools and resources you need to grow your business by visiting www.NN4D.com.
About NAVTEQ
NAVTEQ is the leading global provider of digital map, traffic and location data that enables navigation and location-based platforms around the world. NAVTEQ supplies comprehensive digital map information to power automotive navigation systems, portable and wireless devices, Internet-based mapping applications and government and business solutions. The Chicago-based company was founded in 1985 and has approximately 4,000 employees located in 190 offices and in 39 countries.
Notes to Editors
The Prizes
NAVTEQ and sponsoring companies are offering prizes that contribute to a global prize pool of over $5.5 million dollars US in cash, tool and data licenses, and handsets, making the NAVTEQ Global LBS Challenge one of the industry’s most rewarding developer competitions.
The Sponsors
deCarta, Nokia, Samsung and Sony Ericsson globally sponsor the 2009 edition of the NAVTEQ Global LBS Challenge®. Mobile Distillery is a Global Awards Sponsor. Media sponsors include Directions Media, GPS Business News and GPS World.
The Awards Ceremony
The Global LBS Challenge Awards Ceremony will be held on Wednesday, 19 June, 2009 at 1500h in Singapore at CommunicAsia (Singapore Expo, NAVTEQ Stand 3L2-07). The event is open to all CommunicAsia attendees and will be followed by a cocktail reception.
People’s Choice Award
CommunicAsia attendees are invited to view each semifinalist application at the NAVTEQ stand (3L2-07) and cast their vote for their favorite LBS solution. A People’s Choice Award winner will be announced at the NAVTEQ stand on Friday, 19 June at 1500h.