New York City's BigApps competition officially invited the public last week to submit 140 character ideas for new software applications in an effort to identify " technology that could improve quality of life for New Yorkers". The top 10 submissions will receive a cash prize.
Ideas have to utilize info contained in 350 large public datasets from more than 40 city agencies and commissions. This "NYC DataMine" includes "lists of sidewalk cafes with current licenses; demographic, social, economic, and housing profiles by borough; property assessments; and restaurant inspection results" and more, according to The New York Observer. The NYC Data Mine is part of an initiative to "improve the accessibility, transparency, and accountability of City government".
Submission have to start with the phrase, "I want a NYC app..." and are entered via the BigApps Ideas website, where people vote for their favorites. For example, the most recent submission reads, "I want a NYC app that lets people know the history and future projects related to the area in the city where they are standing or driving by."
The Top 25 ideas, as voted on by the public, will win $100 each. Judges will select 10 of those ideas for a $250 cash prize.
After the winners are announced in August, developers will then have the opportunity to turn the ideas into reality, creating applications for phones, mobile devices and computers to be entered into another competition this fall, where they will vie for a top 10 spot and a $20,000 grand prize,
2010 winners included Roadify, an app that "takes the most recently published data from sources like the MTA and DOT and then adds real-time updates from commuters like you to make them even smarter" and Sportaneous, "a convenient way to organize sports games at public facilities" using data collected from the NYC Parks and Recreation Department.
Submissions for the BigApps Ideas close on July 28th. Check out the official rules here. Got any app ideas of your own?