Announcing the Windows Startup Challenge

Ted Dworkin, Partner Program Manager for the Store, authored this post.


In September, we partnered with Startup Weekend to give entrepreneurs technical mentorship, design guidance, and other valuable resources through a series of Windows Bootcamps. Today, we’re excited to announce the next stage of this work: the Windows Startup Challenge. This challenge—a joint effort between Startup Weekend, DEMO and Windows—focuses on helping startup developers take an app from the prototype phase, through design and development, and finally to a great launch.

If you are just starting out as a Windows Store app developer, this challenge will test your ability to prototype a business idea and bring your app to life. The winning team will receive a spot at DEMO Mobile to launch their app on April 17th in San Francisco.

The challenge has two stages:

  1. Windows Store app prototype
    Submit a 2-minute video (or a presentation) that shows a prototype of your app.
    Deadline: January 29th
  2. App design and development
    If your entry is selected, work with an assigned expert to develop your prototyped app and get it ready for launch.
    Deadline: March 1st

The top 5 teams will each receive a promo package which includes banners, marketing and PR support from Microsoft. The top team will get the opportunity to launch their app to a global audience at the DEMO Mobile stage on April 17th in front of top tier seed investors, VCs, and tech press.

If your startup has a Windows Store app that hasn’t launched yet, we invite you to apply now to participate in the Windows Startup Challenge. The contest entry period for the first stage ends on January 29 and the second stage ends on March 1st. Check out the Official Rules, and if you have other contest related inquiries and questions, email windowschallenge@microsoft.com.

--Ted