IBM global 'Call for Code' initiative opens for applications

By Digital News Asia June 12, 2018

US$30 million, five-year IBM investment unites developers to solve pressing social issues
Benefits UN Human Rights Office, Red Cross in partnership with Linux Foundation, David Clark Cause

IBM global 'Call for Code' initiative opens for applications

IBM and partners on June 11 launched the Call for Code Global Initiative, to bring startup, academic and enterprise developers together to solve one of the most pressing societal issues of our time: preventing, responding to and recovering from natural disasters.

During a keynote address at the VivaTech Conference in Paris, IBM chairman, president and CEO Ginni Rometty (pic) called on the technology industry to help build a better future, committing IBM technology and US$30 million over five years in the annual Call for Code Global Initiative. Its goal is to unite the world's developers and tap into data and AI, blockchain, cloud and IoT technologies to address social challenges.

"At IBM, we harness the power of technologies like AI, blockchain, IoT and cloud to address some of the biggest opportunities and challenges in business," said Bob Lord, IBM chief digital officer. "Now, with Call for Code, we are calling on all developers to join us and use these same leading edge technologies to help people, their communities and society."

Through Call for Code, IBM and David Clark Cause are joining forces with the United Nations Human Rights Office and its human rights-based approach to humanitarian action, which focuses on securing the participation of affected groups in preparedness, response and recovery efforts, and bringing attention to the most excluded and marginalised populations.

Call for Code also integrates the American Red Cross' focus on new ways to bring support to disaster victims – especially important with 2017 ranked as one of the worst years on record for catastrophic events, including fires, floods, earthquakes and storms.

Call for Code invites developers to create new applications to help communities and people better prepare for natural disasters. For example, developers may create an app that uses weather data and supply chain information to alert pharmacies to increase supplies of medicine, bottled water and other items based on predicted weather-related disruption. Or it could be an app that predicts when and where the disaster will be most severe, so emergency crews can be dispatched ahead of time in proper numbers to treat those in need.

IBM's US$30 million investment over five years will fund access to developer tools, technologies, free code and training with experts. The winning team will receive a financial prize, yet, perhaps more rewarding, they will have access to long-term support to help move their idea from prototype to real-world application. This includes ongoing developer support through IBM's partnership with the Linux Foundation.

In addition to development support, the winning team can join one of IBM's Corporate Service Corps (CSC) teams to apply their idea to a community in need. IBM CSC teams are multi-disciplinary IBM experts who spend four to six weeks in underserved communities around the world to apply technology to local issues and opportunities.

Call for Code global initiative

IBM is the founding member of the Call for Code Global Initiative, which was created by David Clark, a renowned leader in cause-related initiatives. David Clark's work includes iconic people and humanitarian organisations, such as President Nelson Mandela, Muhammad Ali, Prince, the United Nations, Amnesty International, and The Anne Frank Centre.

To raise awareness and interest in Call for Code, IBM is coordinating interactive educational events, hackathons and community support for developers around the world in more than 50 cities.

How to join the Call for Code

Developers can register today at Callforcode.org.

Projects can be submitted by individuals – or teams of up to five people – between June 18, 2018 and August 31, 2018.

Thirty semi-finalists will be selected in September. A prominent jury, including some of the most iconic technologists in the world, will choose the winning solution from three finalists.

The winner will be announced in October 2018 during a live-streamed concert and award event coordinated by David Clark Cause.

Additional details, a full schedule of in-person and virtual events, and training and enablement for Call for Code are available at http://www.developer.ibm.com/callforcode.