Silicon Roundabout, Shoreditch pic: Jane McCallion

Hackney Council, Digital Shoreditch and ‘IC tomorrow’ have launched a competition to find the best way to guide visitors around Hackney during next year’s Olympics.

Local groups are invited to produce smartphone apps and enter them into one of five categories: finding your way, making connections, citizen journalism, fun and games, and wild card.

The winners of the competition will be announced at the Digital Shoreditch Festival in May or June of next year. In keeping with the Olympic theme, gold, silver and bronze awards will be given out to three winners in each category.

A number of mentors, including Vodafone and UK Trade and Investment agency will be offering advice to competitors during the process. Entrants will also retain intellectual property rights over their app for the duration of the competition.

The Council hope that this competition will help bring more high-tech companies into the Silicon Roundabout area of Shoreditch, and help to expand East London’s Tech City into Hackney Wick. For more information on the project to boost the east London ‘tech-cluster’, click here.

The deadline for entries is December 15. More information, including how to enter, can be found at the official website: www.raceforapps.com