City of Austin’s GigaTECHs App Competition Includes Bastrop, Caldwell, Hays, Travis, Williamson Counties

The City of Austin is offering $38,000 in prize money for next-generation gigabit applications focused on Transportation, Education, Clean energy, Health and safety (TECHs).

Austin’s Civic-minded app developers and entrepreneurs are invited to compete in the City of Austin’s GigaTECHs Competition.

The competition is part of a broader nationwide initiative, led by D.C-based U.S Ignite, to encourage next-generation Gigabit Internet applications that provide transformative public benefit.

Competitors will have the opportunity to win $38,000 in prize money to seed and support the development of applications that focus on opportunities in local transportation, education, clean energy, health and safety (TECHs).

The prize money is made possible by U.S Ignite and the City of Austin’s Communications and Technology Management Department.

Interested competitors and subject-matter experts looking to get involved are invited to attend the City of Austin’s kickoff event hosted in conjunction with the 5th Annual ATX Hack for Change during the first weekend of June 2-4.

The event is free and open to the public, but registration prior to the event is required. Those interested in attending should register for the event on the ATX Hack for Change website: http://atxhackforchange.org/attend.

Additional details about the competition and instructions for how to enter will be announced during the ATX Hack for Change event. Qualified submissions will include ideas, concepts and wireframes for applications focused on one or more of the following areas: Transportation, Education, Clean energy, Health and safety (TECHs).

From the initial pool of submissions, a small group of finalists will be selected by a diverse panel of expert judges to move forward in prototyping their app concept. Eligible finalists must reside in and/or have a business headquartered in the Greater Austin Area (Travis, Williamson, Hays, Bastrop and Caldwell counties).

Winning applications will be shared with select cities across the United States participating in the U.S Ignite Smart Gigabit Communities program.

About | The GigaTECHs Competition is made possible through a collaboration among the City of Austin’s Communications and Technology Management Department, the Office of Innovation, and the Telecommunications and Regulatory Affairs Department.