LANSING – Software developers are invited to participate in the state?s Code Michigan event in October and gain an opportunity to not only build mobile and web applications, but also win $7,000 in cash prizes. Only 185 slots are available in three locations statewide.
?Code Michigan is an exciting opportunity for civic-minded developers and designers to help reinvent Michigan?s government by creating mobile and web apps for the public good,? said David Behen, director of the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget (DTMB) and state chief information officer. ?I?m really looking forward to seeing what our competitors develop this year.?
Code Michigan, a free ?civic coding event at 5 p.m. Oct 3 and runs for 48 hours at three locations across the state ? at the Grand Circus in Detroit, the Stream Center in Newaygo and Northern Michigan University in Marquette.
Individuals interested in participating may register for the free, three-day event by visiting the Code Michigan website at:
Click on CodeMichigan.Com
Only 65 slots for each location are available.
First, second and third place prizes will be awarded at all three locations. First prize is $5,000, second prize is $1,500 and third prize is $500.
The first place winners from Detroit, Marquette and Newaygo will go on to compete for the ?grand prize? of $10,000 and 30 minutes to pitch their winning idea to the Renaissance Venture Capital Fund.
Civic Coding is the act of creating works of software for the purpose of promoting government transparency, citizen engagement, government efficiency, public policy and economic development. The first-ever Code Michigan was held in Detroit in 2013.
According to Behen, Code Michigan will allow the state to get more applications developed than it could ever afford to develop on its own. Similar events have also resulted in the creation of new companies, which means new jobs for the state.
