JEDDAH — ArabNet and Bab Rizq Jameel (BRJ) launched contests for web and mobile programmers as part of efforts to unearth new talents in the Kingdom. Contests are hosted by the Badir Program for Technology Incubators (Badir) in Riyadh. The contest is one of five similar events organized by ArabNet in five Arab countries. ArabNet has already organized several successful events for the digital sector in Beirut and Cairo. The contests seek to gather developers and programmers to compete for the title of best developer in the Arab world. The first four winners from each country will get a cash prize of $5,000 and an opportunity to represent their country in the ArabNet Programmers Championship, which will be organized during the ArabNet Digital Summit in late March 2013. After Beirut and Amman, Riyadh was the third stop for the contests. The Riyadh event was held on Nov. 22. And developers competed individually using their programming skills to produce web or mobile applications. A special place was dedicated for women who decided to compete. After 12 hours the winners were announced. First prize went to Dhayf Allah Al-Otaiby who received $2,500, while second prize went to Abdullah Al-Qathami who received $1,500. Third and fourth prize winners, Azoz Al-Hassani and Osama Mazy, received $500 each. The winners will also get a free air ticket and accommodation to compete at the championships. ArabNet founder Omer Christidis said the Arab region is one of the most important digital markets in the world and enjoys one of the fastest growth rates in the mobile phones market. The acceleration in the use of web and mobile technologies in the region has generated demand for content and applications, which in turn has created an urgent need for programming talents, he said. Mohammed Hakami, general director for programs development in Bab Rizq Jameel, said: “Such contests are part of the channels for creating wonderful projects that could create more job opportunities in the digital industry for young people. “To establish a base of entrepreneurs in the digital industry, BRJ will finance successful projects that meet the requirements.”
