BBVA and Google launch a business application competition for developers

MADRID, March 28, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- BBVA and Google seek to promote a spirit of innovation in business application development with the InnovaApps+ competition. This international contest aims to promote the emergence of new solutions that can benefit companies, and particularly SMEs and entrepreneurs in Spain and Latin America. This new challenge will enable BBVA to stay in touch with the ecosystem of developers and attract talent and new ideas, and also to remain at the cutting edge of technology.

InnovaApps+ challenges programmers to create productivity applications that solve business problems or simplify tasks. The applications must be based on Google's technologies, either in the cloud (AppScript and Cloud Platform) or on mobile devices (Android) and social media (Google+). All the applications developed by the contestants will be available under an open code license, so any company, self-employed worker or SME may use them and also modify and adapt them to their specific needs.

"This competition aims to promote the talent of developers' communities worldwide, but particularly in Spain and Latin America. The value propositions generated in InnovaApps+ may be applied both in BBVA and in any other business, thanks to its model based on open software," said Gustavo Vinacua, director of Open Innovation and BBVA Innovation Centers.

"Google's technology platforms reduce the barriers to solution creation, enabling startups and entrepreneurs to launch their projects in global markets. Google's Developers program supports developers in Spain and Latin America so they can focus on creating innovative solutions," said Andres Leonardo, Developer Relations Manager at Google Spain.

This joint BBVA-Google challenge will have four categories:

Applications for internal management

Applications that simplify the internal processes of companies, such as staff recruitment and control, expense management, invoicing, procurement, accounting, etc.

Organization applications

Applications that improve employee production processes. This category includes solutions related to managing e-mails, organizing meetings, videoconferences, cloud computing, document management, team work, etc.

Customer relations applications

Applications designed to improve and streamline the relationship with a company's customers and help offering them sales services or information outside of the physical store. This category includes customer relationship management (CRM), marketing, online sales and other tools.

Special BBVA prize

BBVA will reward those applications that provide new added value for the bank's internal use and integrates with the Google Apps already in use by employees. Mobile productivity applications and others that integrate Bluetooth 4.0 technology or internal sensors will also receive special consideration.

Anyone interested in participating in the InnovaApps+ international competition can register on the BBVA Open Innovation  website and develop their projects using the resources available on the Google Developers portal and the information available in Spanish on their Google+ page. The most active contestants in this community, who provide assistance and answer questions posed by other programmers, can also compete for awards recognizing their effort.

The registration period will be open from March 28 to May 30.

First, second and third prize for the first three categories will be €3,000, €2,000 and €1,000. The special BBVA prizes will be €9,000, €6,000 and €3,000 for first, second and third places. Several prizes will also be awarded as honorable mentions.

The winning projects will be selected by a panel of BBVA and Google experts based on criteria such as originality, usability, design and relevance for the Spanish and Latin American market. Special consideration will also be given to the projects' integration with Google+,  Google tools or applications or  Google's wearable technology.

Coinciding with the competition, Google and BBVA have organized an extensive training  program and workshops  throughout Spain  (Barcelona, Cartagena, Ciudad Real, Cordoba, Leon, Madrid, Murcia, Ourense, Salamanca, Tarragona and Vigo) and Latin American countries (Chile, Mexico and Colombia).

About BBVA

BBVA is a customer-centric global financial services group founded in 1857. The Group has a solid position in Spain, it is the largest financial institution in Mexico and it has leading franchises in South America and the Sunbelt Region of the United States. Its diversified business is biased to high-growth markets and it relies on technology as a key sustainable competitive advantage. Corporate responsibility is at the core of its business model. BBVA fosters financial education and inclusion, and supports scientific research and culture. It operates with the highest integrity, a long-term vision and applies the best practices. The Group is present in the main sustainability indexes.

SOURCE BBVA