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NAVTEQ, the leading global provider of maps, traffic and location data enabling navigation, location-based services and mobile advertising around the world, announced that Visioglobe is the Grand Prize winner of the APAC edition of the 2010 NAVTEQ Global LBS Challenge competition. Visioglobe will receive over $735,000 (US) in cash, data and tool licenses, and services; a substantial share of the total global prize pool for the Global LBS Challenge, which is valued at a total over $10 million.
This year’s group of finalists for the APAC region represented a diverse range of location-enabled solutions. Business solutions were the most heavily represented type of application with over 44% falling into this category. Other key features include pedestrian navigation, personal safety, social networking and transportation solutions.
Visioglobe (visioglobe.com) won the competition with their location-aware mobile application, Visiostreet, a navigation software solution for major cities, with routing enabled by NAVTEQ® maps and supported by NAVTEQ’s Enhanced 3D City Models. The application’s focus on social networking allows the user to find points of interest, friends’ photos, events and more in real time.
• Two Runners-Up were also selected by the judging panel:
First Runner-Up: PelicanCorp (pelicancorp.com) - beforeUdig is a mobile application that helps prevent damage to underground pipes and cables as well as avoid injury to excavation contractors.
• Second Runner-Up: B & C Electronic Engineering, Inc. (bce-inc.com) - 911ETA alerts the motoring public to nearby responding emergency vehicles, street closures, road repairs and special events.
The nine applications were evaluated by a prominent panel of seven judges consisting of executives from leading wireless, technology and venture capital companies, including deCarta, HTC, Imagination Technologies, Intel, Microsoft Bing Maps, Sony Ericsson and Tanla.
“We’d like to congratulate Visioglobe for winning the grand prize in this highly competitive region of the Global LBS Challenge,” commented Rich Shuman, senior vice president, APAC sales, NAVTEQ. “The Asia-Pacific region continues to yield not only innovative applications, but also showcase exceptionally talented developers and entrepreneurs who are creating cutting-edge mobile solutions.”
In addition to the overall winners, special recognition awards were presented by NAVTEQ and sponsors for outstanding achievements in specific categories:
• PelicanCorp, beforeUdig: Best Productivity Solution;
• Visioglobe, Visiostreet: Most Innovative Use of Graphics, selected by global award sponsor, Imagination Technologies; and
• Visioglobe, Visiostreet: Best App for Use of Tanla License Manager, selected by global sponsor, Tanla.
Known for their quality, NAVTEQ maps are built to a single data specification allowing customers to easily and cost-effectively move into new markets by optimizing their development efforts in one country for use in another. NAVTEQ provides maps and rich map content throughout the Asia Pacific region including Australia, China (through NAVTEQ’s joint venture with NAV2), Hong Kong and Macau, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand, and includes over 5 million kilometers of roads mapped in the region.
The APAC region is the fifth and final region for the 2010 Global LBS Challenge. Visit LBSChallenge.com for information on the winners from the other four regions in this year’s competition: Europe-Middle East-Africa (EMEA), North America, India and South America.
About the NAVTEQ Global LBS Challenge®
First launched in 2003, the NAVTEQ Global LBS Challenge (LBSChallenge.com) is a worldwide competition conducted by NAVTEQ Network for Developers™ (NN4D), daring application developers around the world to build innovative location-based services (LBS) using dynamic positioning technology and NAVTEQ® maps. Integrating the accuracy and richness of NAVTEQ digital map data and LBS content facilitates the timely evolution of the next wave of location-aware applications. The Global LBS Challenge has become the premier event in the LBS industry for shining the spotlight on global LBS innovation and opportunity. Over 32% of the finalists from the past six years have gone on to receive venture capital funding or launch commercially-distributed applications.
About NAVTEQ Network for Developers™
NAVTEQ Network for Developers (NN4D) is a dynamic web portal and global community that provides developers and business partners with the technical and business support needed to build, showcase and launch the most innovative location-enabled solutions. NN4D includes resources such as mapping APIs, LBS content, point of interest data and routing information as well as geospatial platforms and tools from NAVTEQ and its partners. Members can rely on NN4D when creating GPS-based applications for the web, mobile phones, GIS and portable navigation devices that employ traffic, navigation, location content and location-based advertising for enterprise and consumer use. Connect with the people, tools and resources you need to build and market your location-enabled products by joining today at NN4D.com/joindevelopers/.
About NAVTEQ
NAVTEQ (navteq.com) is the leading global provider of digital map, traffic and location data that enables navigation and location-based platforms around the world. NAVTEQ supplies comprehensive digital map information to power automotive navigation systems, portable and wireless devices, Internet-based mapping applications and government and business solutions. The Chicago-based company was founded in 1985 and has over 4,600 employees located in 203 offices and in 45 countries.
NAVTEQ, NAVTEQ Network for Developers and Global LBS Challenge are trademarks of NAVTEQ in the U.S. and other countries. All rights reserved.
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