AT&T-MCMC Developers’ Day is back, with IoT focus

• This year will also be part of the KL Converge! digital technology event
• Winners get cash prizes, Nanodegree scholarships, and mentorship

US tech giant AT&T and industry regulator the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) have announced their third annual Malaysia Developers’ Day hackathon will be held from Aug 27-28.
 
This year’s event will also be part of the KL Converge! digital technology event in Kuala Lumpur, jointly organised by the Ministry of Communications and Multimedia, MCMC, National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (Finas) and Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC).
 
“Over the last two years, this event has really showcased Asian developers’ talents,” said MCMC chief officer for content, security and information Mohd Ali Hanafiah.
 
“This year, we hope to see even more innovation that will drive our region forward,” he added.

In 2014, more than 120 participants created 21 new app ideas. This year, teams from across Asia will compete, AT&T and MCMC said in a joint statement.
 
Developers will have 24 hours to harness the Internet of Things (IoT) to build new apps for a Connected Life, Connected Car or Connected Home in one of three categories:

• Community Involvement;

• Smart City Solutions; or

• Commercialisation

Winners will share cash prizes worth US$13,000 (RM49,400) and 10 Nanodegree scholarships worth US$20,000 (RM76,000) from AT&T and Udacity.
 
The Nanodegree scholarships will allow developers to earn an online degree that will help prepare them for careers in the tech industry, AT&T said.

“Through AT&T Aspire, we are striving to foster innovation and provide people with the tools needed for careers in technology fields,” said AT&T chief sustainability officer Charlene Lake.
 
“These Nanodegree scholarships will provide the opportunity for hackathon contestants to continue innovating and creating technology that can build a better tomorrow,” she added.
 
South-East Asian seed fund Golden State Ventures will also give each winning team six months of mentoring.

AT&T and MCMC said they will give the developer teams the tools they would need to quickly create new apps.
 
These include the AT&T M2X IoT development platform, which offers a toolset to create and refine prototypes, and cloud-based data storage to help collect, analyse and share IoT data.
 
Tech experts will also be at the event to lend support.

Students and other future developers who want to build new skills can attend a coding 101 workshop the same day.

“We’re proud to sponsor this great event with MCMC,” said Carlton Hill, vice president of device operations and developer services at AT&T.
 
“We want to inspire and empower Asian developers. Contestants will gain skills and find new ways to unlock the power of the Internet of Things in Asia,” he added.

The 2015 Malaysia Developers’ Day will take place at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, beginning at 9am on Aug 27 and ending at 5pm on Aug 28. The winning team in each category will receive a US$1,000 cash prize.
 
The winners will also present their apps at the KL Converge! gala dinner on Aug 29, and one team will take home the US$10,000 grand prize.

To register online, click here.
 
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AT&T-MCMC Developers’ Day gets an ‘Asean makeover’
 
 
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