This is the archived website for the 2014.1 ACApps Challenge.
Click the following link to return to the current challenge website: code.acgov.org
Photo of previous hackathon winners.

The good stuff (PRIZES) & the official stuff (RULES).

The Prizes

The three contestants or teams whose entry earns the highest overall scores will win the top three prizes. In the event of a tie, the winners shall be determined at the sole discretion of the judges.

  • 1st Prize - $3000
  • 2nd Prize - $1500
  • 3rd Prize - $500

Additional prizes and honorable mentions to be determined prior to or during the event.

The Criteria

Each entry will be evaluated on each of the following criteria:

  • Usefulness — the app or concept will have a positive impact on Alameda County residents, businesses or visitors.
  • Usability — the app or concept is intuitive and easy to use.
  • Data — the app or concept leverages Alameda County datasets or other information within the county.
  • Originality — the app or concept provides an innovative or creative approach to an idea that hasn't been proposed before.
  • Technology — the app or concept can be used by multiple devices.

The Rules

  1. You must be registered to participate in the event. Select the Register button above to sign up.
  2. Explore the Alameda County Data at data.acgov.org
  3. Explore the Alameda County App Ideas page.
  4. Each participating team will have the same amount of time as all of the other competing teams to develop a fully or partially functional application or concept. The coding kicks off at approximately 11:30 AM and will end the same day around 4:30 PM.
  5. Entries must be apps or concepts that use at least one of the data sets from Alameda County Open Data (data.acgov.org) or – if not requiring a dataset –, clearly benefit the citizens of Alameda County.
  6. App entries may be any kind of application – be it for the web, a personal computer, a mobile handheld device, SMS, wearable devices (Google Glass) or any software platform broadly available to the public.
  7. Concept entries should be presented in a way that communicates their intent or vision - and how this would be achieved technologically.
  8. Entries must not be indecent, defamatory, in obvious bad taste, demonstrate a lack of respect for public morals or conduct or adversely affect the reputation of the county or sponsors. Any determination made by the County's judges under this paragraph 8 is wholly within their discretion and will be final.
  9. Sponsors of this event and employees of Alameda County may participate in the event but are not eligible for prize money.
  10. Each team will have the same amount of time to present to the judges their app/concept at the end of the coding period.
  11. Judging criteria to be published prior to the event. Wholly within their discretion, the County's judges' determination will be final and not open to appeal.

Special prize...

Esri logo

ESRI Innovator Prize

ESRI will be awarding $1000 for the most innovative and creative use of the Esri technology as evidenced in:

  • Originality of Idea
  • Technically Challenging Implementation
  • User Experience/User Interface
  • Potential for Real-World Application
  • Completeness