Contest to Promote Iranian Messenger Apps

EghtesadOnline: A nationwide mobile messenger application coding contest will bring together local programmers to demonstrate their capabilities. The event is an effort to promote the use of locally-developed apps and connect talented programmers with firms.

News ID: ۷۴۶۳۰۰

05 December 2018

Android and iOS programmers can enroll in the competition through the event's website, payamavard.ir until Dec. 21.

According to the news website webna.ir, the contest is designed to challenge capabilities of programmers through online tests and in-person interviews that will be conducted at Sharif University of Technology in Tehran in late February, 2019.

Participants will compete in six sections, including e-commerce, software development, software architecture, emoji design, social media network designing and User Interface (UI) design, Financial Tribune reported.

Winners will be announced in the same month and the nine best participants will receive cash prizes ranging between 10 and 60 million rials ($84 to $500). They also will be introduced to the country's leading tech and communication companies, including the producers of iGap, Bale, Hotgram, Talagram, Dorsa, Soroush and Eitaa messaging applications.

The event is organized jointly by the Community for Developing Safe Cyberspace (abbreviated in Persian as FAMP) and Fanavard skill and talent assessment group.

According to organizers, the ultimate goal of the competition is to indentify skilled and talented programmers.

So far, the locally developed messaging applications have had little popularity among Iranian users of social media platforms.

According to the latest poll conducted on phone by the Iranian Students' Polling Agency (ISPA), locally developed messaging applications, including Soroush, iGap, and Eitaa, have failed to gain traction.

Less than four percent of the total 1,281 questioned adults said they “use homegrown services”.