AppCamp challenge launches for university students

27 Mar 2012

University of Ulster students Chris McMullan and Fiona Gunn with Tom Gray, CTO, Kainos

Belfast-based technology company Kainos has launched its 2012 AppCamp challenge for university students. Eventual winners will be rewarded with Apple mobile devices, as well as mentoring to get their app marketed in the Apple App Store.

Kainos runs the annual ‘camp’ as a means of identifying and harnessing the best IT talent of the future, according to Tom Gray, CTO at Kainos.

Previous events have taken place in Ireland, the UK and Poland, with the company also planning new camps in other regions over the coming years, Gray said.

Last year’s winner of the competition is Glenn Sayers, a computer science student from Ballymena in Co Antrim. Sayers, who is studying at the University of Ulster’s Magee campus, won for his ‘Budget Wise’ app.

“AppCamp is one of the high points of the Kainos calendar, when we get to see first hand just how talented the next crop of students are. The quality of entrants in last year’s camps was phenomenal, so we have great hopes for 2012,” said Gray.

The winners at this year’s AppCamp will be getting their hands on the latest Apple mobile devices, plus they will get guidance and mentoring from Kainos to have their product – be it an iPhone/iPod touch or iPad app – marketed through the Apple App Store.

Applications are being accepted now and can be submitted up until 20 April.

Carmel Doyle was a long-time reporter with Silicon Republic

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