Microsoft Azerbaijan announces contest windows startup challenge

Microsoft Azerbaijan Company is accepting applications for participation in the competition Windows Startup Challenge, which is held in conjunction with DEMO and Startup Weekend. It is open to any interested person who has reached the age of 18, individually or as a group, and has interesting ideas for electronic applications for Windows Store. The competition will test the ability of startups participating prototype applications for the Windows Store, and to help develop and promote the best of them.

Its aim is to support the creation of e-applications and accelerate their development, from prototype to launch. It is conducted in two stages, each of which has special requirements to participate.

"Microsoft is an active initiator of various projects to support software developers worldwide. The interest of local developers for the competition start-up projects conducted recently in Azerbaijan jointly with InfiPro, was very high. We look forward to welcoming both participants not become finalists in the last competition, and the new comers, and are confident that Windows Startup Challenge will attract a large number of developers," the General Manager of Microsoft Azerbaijan, Rufat Gadzhialibekov said.

According to the contest in the first phase, participants are registered prototype Commission's electronic applications in the form of presentations, videos and screenshots. It may also be available on IOS App Store, Google Play or other platforms other than Windows Store. Within 24-48 hours of receipt of the application, the participant receives notice of its confirmation or rejection to participate further in the project. After confirmation, the prototype application is hosted in an online gallery on the web page of the contest for public viewing, the opportunity to share with others, and to promote social networking. Page visitors will be invited to vote for their favorite contest entries, with a limit of one vote for each profile in Facebook. Voting will end February 5, 2013.

Selection of the best start-ups of the panel of judges will be on the following criteria: 1) feasibility of a startup 2) convenient use 3) compatibility with Windows 8 and 4) originality and innovation.

Top twenty members elected on the basis of 50% of the vote and 50% of the judges' opinions, will have access to the engineer and design resources to support their bids in the second round. When you create the finished versions of their applications, on the basis of prototypes presented earlier, participants will also have a unique promotion mentors professionals at Microsoft. This finished version will need to provide judicial panel before March 1, 2013.

Following the second round will be five of the best apps. They will support the promotion of its application, in particular, the creation of banners, PR-actions, etc. Two of the team members, the startup will have the opportunity to participate in the conference DEMO Mobile, April 17, 2013, in San Francisco, where they will present their application to the press and major investors.

Registration for the first round is held until January 29, 2013, 23:59 GMT.

For more information on participation in the contest can be found here, as well as contacting the company Microsoft Azerbaijan by phone (012) 437 3800 or e-mail a-emakhu@microsoft.com. - 17D-