ICICI Bank launches 'ICICI Appathon', a mobile app development challenge

Hosted on the IBM Bluemix cloud based platform, 'ICICI Appathon' will offer a diverse set of over 50 APIs (Application Programme Interface) from ICICI Bank and its group companies namely ICICI Prudential Life Insurance, ICICI Lombard General Insurance and ICICI Securities. As a first, payment APIs from 'Visa' and the 'Unified Payment Interface' API from NPCI will also be available for the app development challenge. Visa and NPCI are the partners of 'ICICI Appathon.'

Using these APIs, participants will have to create innovative working prototypes of mobile applications that provides a superior customer experience.

Speaking about the initiative, Chanda Kochhar, MD & CEO, ICICI Bank said, “At ICICI Bank, technology has been at the core of our strategy. In line with this vision, we have introduced the 'ICICI Appathon' that will allow us to foster innovation and tap into the minds of the most innovative developers. With India being among the top three internet users in the world, mobile banking is witnessing an exponential growth." 

"It is also bringing about a shift in consumer preference wherein they want innovative solutions on the go. Through the 'ICICI Appathon', we want to broad base and leverage on the innovative ideas and the exceptional talent in our developers, technopreneurs and technology startups," she added.

"We believe that programmes like these will encourage young developers to create world class banking applications on mobile and will strengthen the Government's 'Digital India' mission. We hope to get ideas for some exceptional apps at the end of this development challenge,” Kochhar concluded.

Freelance developers, technology enthusiasts working in companies, startups and students from the technology space can participate in the ‘ICICI Appathon’ in the following way:

 Registration: Participants can register on www.iciciappathon.com from February 16 to March 01, 2016. The names of the shortlisted candidates will be announced on March 4, 2016. They will be given access to the APIs hosted on the IBM Bluemix platform on March 5, 2016

Development: Participants will have to create minimum one innovative working prototype using the virtual banking and financial services APIs. These need to be submitted by March 27, 2016

Evaluation: Finalists will be announced on April 7, 2016. They will be invited to the ICICI Bank headquarters in Mumbai to compete in the Grand Finale in mid of April 2016

ICICI Bank Limited ICICI Bank Towers Bandra-Kurla Complex Bandra (E) Mumbai-400051.

Three 'ICICI Appathon' champions will be selected by a jury of eminent leaders from the BFSI segment and startups. All participants will be judged on five criteria that include uniqueness, functionality, business potential, user experience and scalability.

The top three winners will win prizes from a pool of over Rs 20 lakh along with a potential engagement opportunity with ICICI Bank. They will also be given a chance to be mentored by the event partners. Additionally, winners of the 'ICICI Appathon', who apply to the '10,000 Startups' of NASSCOM will get a fast tracked entry into it. 

Moreover, two members of the winning team shall also have access to the network and co-working community of 91springboard (a co-working community of freelancers, startups and established small to large businesses) across India.