Not all superheroes wear capes. Some sit behind a desk conjuring up ways in which they can use technology to make the World a better place. Whether it’s to improve health and education systems or to alleviate stress and improve mental well-being through fun and supportive video games, these apps are always in demand. A call has been made once again to developers around the World to put their skills to the test on a Global stage with the launch of the 2021 HUAWEI HMS App Innovation Contest, Apps UP.

Level up your innovation

The competition aims to inspire talented developers around the World to create seamless, smart, and innovative digital experiences, and explore the future of digital intelligence. By highlighting pioneering HMS open capabilities, the competition gives App developers the tools to build tomorrow's all-connected World. This includes constructing the future of technology and bringing all-scenario smart life experiences to Huawei end users in over 170 countries and regions, reaching over 650 million Huawei users globally.

Hard work leads to big rewards

The Apps UP competition from Huawei is a real-life example that hard work pays off. The competition will be held in Middle East & Africa, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and China. Huawei has set aside US$1 million from the Shining Star Program as prize money for the contest.

US$200,000 will be allocated for the following award winners in Middle East and Africa:

• Best Application Award

• Best Game Award

• Most Social Impact Award

• Best HMS Core Innovation Award

• All-Scenario Coverage Award

• Excellent Student Award

• Starlight Creative Award, and

• Honourable Mention Award.

This year’s contest also includes a new Tech Women's Award, and will feature speeches from outstanding women in tech, with the goal of supporting and encouraging – together with HUAWEI Women Developers – female developers in realising their dreams by pursuing groundbreaking work.

Winners are also eligible for additional rewards, such as HUAWEI AppGallery promotional resources, Huawei cloud resources, and exclusive incentives for paid HMS Core capabilities, among others.

The theme for this year's Huawei HMS App Innovation Contest is "HMS Innovate for All".

How to enter

To enter, participants must register an account on the official competition website, between 14 June and 20 August 2021 and sign up as either an individual or as a team of up to three members. All Apps must be developed integrating HMS Core and submitted on the same website by 20 August 2021. The panel of judges will pre-select work based on social value, business value, user experience and originality, and this will happen between 21 August and 9 September. From there, the top 20 shortlisted apps in each region will be made available to the public to download and vote for their favourites on the competition’s official website or HUAWEI AppGallery from 11 September to 23 September, before making their way to the finals in October. To find out more, click here.

A distinguished judging panel, with diverse professional experience

Judges for the contest include technical experts, executives and founders in finance and tech, leading tech media voices, and representatives from non-profit sectors. Their abundant experience will prove invaluable to contestants, inspiring them to greater heights.

Over four million entrants

The 2020 HUAWEI HMS App Innovation Contest attracted more than 3,000 teams from over 170 countries and regions in the five competition regions. 20 outstanding Apps were shortlisted in each region, among thousands of HMS innovative Apps submitted. These Apps covered every facet of daily life, inspiring smart experiences in health and fitness, education, agriculture, environmental protection, transportation, and public safety, among many others. The contest reached more than four million developers. Standout entries from South Africa, which were recognised and rewarded, were as follows:

• Pregnancy educational App, My Pregnancy Journey - Best App and Best Social Impact App winner
• Space adventure game, Gauntlet – Best Game winner
• Space adventure game, Slug Hunter – Honourable Mention
• Load shedding informational App, Load Shedding Notifier – Honourable Mention