The Royal Canadian Mint MintChip Challenge invites software developers to create innovative digital payment applications using MintChip, a R&D phase technology available only to challenge participants. Developers and the public are also encouraged to share ideas for how a digital currency can be used.

Winners will receive approximately $50,000 in gold from the Mint as well as promotional exposure. Prizes will be awarded for the apps that best demonstrate the potential value of the MintChip technology and have the greatest potential impact on digital payment technology. Submitted apps can run on Android, BlackBerry, iOS, Windows or desktop and mobile browsers.

The Mint will provide participating developers with a software developement kit (SDK), two microSD MintChips, and two remote MintChip accounts they can use to integrate the Mint’s technology with their digital payment applications. 

The public and developers have approximately four months to share ideas and build their submissions. A panel of distinguished judges from the tech, venture capital, media, and retailer industries will select winners, and the general public will vote to identify a “Popular Choice” winner.

Challenge Goals:

  • Create software applications and proofs of concept utilizing MintChip
  • Highlight potential advantages of the technology and digital currency

 

ChallengePost.com est un site tiers spécialisé qui ne relève pas de l’autorité de la Monnaie royale canadienne et fonctionne uniquement en anglais. Néanmoins, dans la mesure du possible, la Monnaie royale canadienne a tenu à offrir la majeure partie de l'information liée au concours dans les deux langues officielles du Canada d'une manière ou d'une autre. Ainsi, les informations de cette page d'accueil sont les mêmes qui figurent en français dans ce site Web en cliquant l’onglet « Rules » et le lien http://developer.mintchipchallenge.com en bas de page dans l’onglet « Resources ».

 

gold coins

Hackathon Sponsors

Prizes

$52,700 in prizes

Best Overall Application - Grand Prize

10 oz of GOLD (1 Gold Wafer, .9999 purity), equal to $17,000

Best Overall Application - Second Prize

6 oz of GOLD (1 Gold Wafer and 5 Gold Maple Leaf Coins, 1 oz each, all .9999 purity), equal to $10,200

Best Overall Application - Third Prize

3 oz of GOLD (1 Gold Wafer and 2 Gold Maple Leaf Coins, 1 oz each, all .9999 purity), equal to $5,100

Best P2P Application

3 oz of GOLD (3 Gold Maple Leaf Coins, 1 oz each, .9999 purity), equal to $5,100
Best application that facilitates peer-to-peer (person-to-person) payments

Best B2C Application

3 oz of GOLD (3 Gold Maple Leaf Coins, 1 oz each, .9999 purity), equal to $5,100
Best application that facilitates business-to-consumer payments

Best Micropayment Application

3 oz of GOLD (3 Gold Maple Leaf Coins, 1 oz each, .9999 purity), equal to $5,100
Best application that facilitates micropayments of less than $2.00 cost effectively

Popular Choice Award

3 oz of GOLD (3 Gold Maple Leaf Coins, 1 oz each, .9999 purity), equal to $5,100

Large Organization Recognition Award

Recognition prize for organizations with 50 or more employees

Devpost Achievements

Submitting to this hackathon could earn you:

How to enter

  1. Create an account on MintChipChallenge.com or log in with an existing ChallengePost account.
  2. On MintChipChallenge.com, click Accept this challenge to indicate your interest in participating. This step ensures that you will receive important challenge updates. Follow step 3 to register and receive a developer kit.
  3. Between 10 a.m. ET on April 4, 2012 and 5 p.m. ET on July 18, 2012, register for access to the MintChip technology by completing the form on the Register to Participate tab. Once your completed registration is received, you will be provided with a software development kit, two microSD MintChips and access to two remote MintChip accounts. The Competition is limited to 500 approved participants. Please Note: Due to a very high level of interest, we are no longer accepting registrations for the MintChip Challenge.
  4. Create a working software application that runs on Android, BlackBerry, iOS, Windows, or a desktop or mobile browser, and utilizes either local microSD MintChips or remote MintChips to transfer digital currency.
  5. Confirm that you have read and agree to the Official Rules, and submit your application by providing an uploaded file or a link to your application, a video demonstrating its functionality, a text description, at least one screenshot of your working application, and a category for your submission.

Judges

Osama Bedier

Osama Bedier
Vice President of Payments, Google

Ian Bennett

Ian Bennett
President and CEO, Royal Canadian Mint

David Birch

David Birch
Director, Consult Hyperion

Bob Borchers

Bob Borchers
General Partner, Opus Capital

David Crow

David Crow
Chief Marketing Officer, Maintenance Assistant Inc.

Jeff King

Jeff King
Senior Director X.commerce Platform Partnerships, eBay

Amanda Lang

Amanda Lang
Senior Business Correspondent for CBC News and Anchor of The Lang & O’Leary Exchange

Judging Criteria

  • Quality of the Idea
    Includes creativity and originality and proof of a relevant concept
  • Implementation of the Idea
    Includes user experience and design
  • Potential Impact
    Includes potential impact on MintChip offerings and electronic payments technology

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