Huawei announces European winners of AppsUp developer contest

Judges looked for innovative concepts, clear positioning and a feasible business plan

Promo Since kicking off a new life with its own mobile ecosystem and app store – App Gallery – Huawei has been searching for trailblazing app concepts it hopes will reimagine the way we use smartphones. Launched in July, Huawei’s AppsUp competition was open to developers across the world, with a prize fund of US$1m.

The contest is dedicated to working with global application developers to innovate and reshape the future of technology. Developers were encouraged to build applications based on the open capabilities of Huawei Mobile Services (HMS). After much deliberation by a judging panel and a public vote, Huawei is delighted to announce the contest winners:

The Best App:

• Runbit
• Scoolio
• Complete Rhythm Trainer
• Marble AR
• Pocket Code

Social Impact:

• Learn 34 Languages
• PLANTSNAP
• Earthquake Network

The Best Game:

• 100 Doors: Escape from School
• Streamer Sim Tycoon
• SpinGram

Most Popular:

• Peaklens

A look at some of the winners

Crowned the winners of The Best App and The Best Game, both Runbit, a fitness app, and Streamer Sim Tycoon, a simulator game, each receive a cash prize of $15,000.

Runbit is an app that aims to make fitness unpretentious and fun by turning every run or jog into a treasure hunt where you can collect stars, escape monsters, or hunt animals. In Streamer Sim Tycoon, you experience what it’s like to be a famous streamer. You can customise your character and streaming set-up, master different games, take part in events, and compete with other players.

Since launching its own mobile ecosystem and App Gallery app store, Huawei has been searching for trailblazing app concepts it hopes will reimagine the way we use smartphones. The competition was open to developers across the world who used Huawei’s HMS Game Service Kit to create their entries and received nearly 1,000 entries.

The judges considered four main criteria in choosing their shortlist; breakthrough technical features for the app compared with existing products, excellent visual and functional design, clear market positioning with firmly targeted users and a feasible business plan, and an element of social responsibility. Shortlisted games were then put to a public vote. You can see all the entries that made it to the judges’ shortlist here.

Julius Pusila, who developed Streamer Sim Tycoon, says he is a self-taught game developer, and that his game started life as a school thesis. He says: “Idle games are cool and fun, but I wanted to make something different, that you can play non-stop if you would like, but also play in very short cycles.”

Anders Soderstrom, who developed Runbit, says he wanted to get away from a fitness app that focuses on calories, pace, and distance, and saw an opportunity to create an app that inspires people to get moving without it feeling like a burden. His next step will be to investigate using augmented reality within the app.

The contest’s judging panel included Paul Bazin from the investment team at VC firm daphni; VP of Huawei’s Europe operations Dr Jaime Gonzalo; Head of the HumanTech Social and Technological Innovation Center at SWPS University Dr Konrad Maj; and Principal at Northzone, Wendy Xiao Schadeck.

Brought to you by Huawei