Leading telecommunications company Ooredoo has extended its support for the Arab Mobile Challenge, which has kicked off its third cycle for 2015-2016.

Originally launched in 2013 as a pilot programme covering five countries, the Arab Mobile Challenge, co-founded by Ooredoo, welcomed nearly 700 regional teams from 14 Arab countries last year.

The Global Mobile App Challenge enables teams of up to six members under the age of 35 to develop mobile apps designed to make an impact in the education, health, entertainment and employability/entrepreneurship sectors.

Ooredoo’s role has been critical for the sustainability of the programme and its continued outreach, and in 2015 the company plans to invite young people to participate in the challenge from Algeria, Oman, Kuwait and Qatar, said a statement.

It supports a rich portfolio of youth entrepreneurial initiatives as part of its strategy to provide opportunities for youth across the Arab world.

Dr Nasser Marafih, group chief executive officer, Ooredoo, said: “Ooredoo supports young talent through initiatives like the Arab Mobile App Challenge because we want to enrich the lives of young people and encourage them to reach their full potential.

“Last year’s challenge introduced a range of life-changing apps to the marketplace, with particular focus on the traditions and aspirations of the Arab world. This year will deliver a host of new innovations and ideas that make a real impact on their respective communities.”

With continued support from eco-system partners across the region, special endorsement from the GSMA, and a presence at the Mobile World Congress, the Arab Mobile Challenge is the regional chapter in the Global Mobile Challenge, which hosts young, innovative minds from around the world.

Graduating from the Arab Mobile Challenge 2014-15, the team behind the innovative game ‘Heroes from the Past,’ took part in the Global Mobile Challenge in Barcelona.

This team won first place and showed the world that young Arabs’ innovation and entrepreneurial spirit can take a lead on the world stage.  

This year, the Arab Mobile Challenge is introducing two tracks - one for ideas and one for early stage start-ups.

It will enable people with technical skills and also people with great ideas that can translate into viable solutions to participate.

This approach has been adopted to engage a larger pool of talent in the region and ensure that teams are being judged as fairly as possible based on their level of development.  

For the Mena region, AMC 2015 will run one-day boot-camps in different countries and provide remote acceleration with a toolkit covering the same material for participants who cannot attend.

The finalists will be invited to Regional Finals in January next year and winners are eligible for either financial prizes or the opportunity for a fully-paid invitation to compete at the Global Mobile Challenge in Barcelona, also founded by the Applied Innovation Institute (AII), and hosted by the Mobile World Congress. - TradeArabia News Service