NetSquared MashUp Challenge

Handyland speaking

Handyland Fairymeadow, a member of the NetSquared project team, spoke at the meeting today at the Nonprofit Commons Ampitheater about the NetSquared MashUp Challenge.

Ok, first you might be wondering, what is a mashup? Handyland started by explaining. Wikipedia has a pretty good definition:

  In technology, a mashup is a web application that combines data from more than one source into a single integrated tool; an example is the use of cartographic data from Google Maps to add location information to real-estate data from Craigslist, thereby creating a new and distinct web service that was not originally provided by either source.

NetSquared is a project of TechSoup, that seeks to spur responsible adoption of social web tools by social benefit organizations.

Got an idea of how to combine data from more than one source into an integrated tool that would increase awareness around an issue? Maybe you have an idea of how one or more applications can work with Second Life to help nonprofits? Then you’ll want to submit it to the NetSquared MashUp Challenge.

Handyland went on to share how the NetSquared project is awarding a share of $100,000 in prize money, and a trip to the NetSquared Conference, to the top 20 winners of the NetSquared Mashup Challenge. You can submit your idea for a mashup with social impact. Entries are accepted until March 14, 2008 at 5 PM PST.

Handyland explained that you don’t have to have the tech skills to create your mashup, just the idea. Your application will explain the change that you are trying to make, as well as the information/data sources that you believe can be married to help create that change. The NetSquared Team will reach out to web-savvy collaborators to help translate your idea into a Mashup Project.

From there, Handyland continued, teams of developers will start building your mashup. The week of March 17th, the NetSquared Community will vote for the mashups they think are the most innovative, and that will create the greatest social impact.

On March 24 the top 20 mashups will be announced, and the winners will be invited to attend this year’s NetSquared Conference (N2Y3) in San Jose, CA May 27-28, 2008. Each of the top 20 mashups will get an allowance for travel (including airfare to and from the Conference, along with a hotel room for two nights).

At the Conference, project teams will have an opportunity to display and discuss their mashups, and attendees will vote to select the top three. All twenty projects at the Conference will receive a share of $100,000 in prize money. The share will be determined by voting at the Conference.

Handyland answered questions from avatars about the challenge. The contest is open to everyone worldwide, though the submission form is in English. You can find out  more information on the NetSquared site or contact net2 [at] techsoup [dot] org. And if you’re a developer who wants to help build the mashups, email Billy Bicket at bbicket [at] techsoup [at] org

Written by: penguin kuhn