How the AppCampus program helps developers build, launch and market their apps on Windows Phone

Windows Phone Fundamental was invited to travel to Espoo, Finland and check out the magic that occurs at AppCampus. You may already exist familiar with the proper name — nosotros've covered the programme in the past — and how Microsoft and Nokia are working together with Aalto Academy to help build new content for Windows Phone.

As lightly touched on above, the project aims to offer developers and entrepreneurs the opportunity to get swell on ideas and turn them into apps for the Windows Telephone store. Some of the peak apps and games you download from the shop will take gone through this very program. And so, what's it all about?

First of all, we'd like to pass on a massive cheers to Pekka Sivonen, Mike Bradshaw, Paolo Borella, Teija Laine and the rest of the team for inviting u.s. along and making everything possible.

Spending two days with the squad and this current batch of developers, we were provided an insight into what occurs on a daily basis with an itinerary that includes one-on-one sessions, lectures and more. The Thursday nosotros were nowadays at the AppCademy building, Alan Mendelevich from AdDuplex gave a speech to the teams nearly promotion and how to market apps. It's all covered.

The Angry Birds room. Yep, Rovio is rather big in Republic of finland, apparently.

Even if you're not a developer (or someone who's considering app development), this insight is well worth checking out to run across exactly what Microsoft and its partners are doing to drive innovation and development for Windows Telephone as a platform.

So, what's AppCampus all almost?

AppCampus, equally the proper name would suggest, is a campus for app developers to assemble and receive coaching from experts in the field. The program is funded by Microsoft, Nokia and Aalto University (€21 meg in total), offer a unique experience for non only entrepreneurs, but also outset-ups to get the support they require in taking an thought and turning it into a successful venture.

AppCampus Head, Pekka Sivonen gives a talk about the project in a branded onesie.

Information technology'southward no surreptitious that it takes more than merely an app or game to go far into the mobile phone app stores of today. Gone were the days where y'all'd automatically receive thousands of downloads and pocket a squeamish sum of cash for your troubles. Developers of today are tasked with non just developing content, just besides marketing and promoting their work.

This is where the project comes in. More than just an accelerator, the AppCampus plan provides one of 3 grants to developers, depending on the uniqueness of the concept, execution and evolution. Looking at a number of criteria, including the team, complication of solution, innovation aspect and potential for growth, the available grants are:

• €xx,000 - Relatively unproblematic (standalone) applications
• €50,000 - Application which requires interfacing with some existing network (deject) based service/media/information
• €70,000 - App includes development of network (cloud) service back-end, and interfacing with it

The important bespeak to take away with AppCampus is each project does not require a revenue share to be agreed on, and the IPRs remain property of the developers. The merely requirement is for the app (or game) to be exclusive to the Windows Phone platform for three months (just for mobile platforms - can still be on web, Xbox, Boob tube, etc). It'south a pocket-sized enquire for the sheer amount of support, tools and access available in the programme.

It all starts at the beginning. Developers make it touch with the squad, submit their ideas and wait for approval. AppCampus has a team of personnel who deal with the submissions, working with potential candidates to refine and develop their concept before being approved. Should the applicant be successful, they'll be put through to work with AppCampus and secure 1 of the available grants.

The almost promising teams and those with ambition are invited to the AppCademy (where nosotros travelled to in Finland) with travel expenses and basic adaptation paid for. It'southward not a bad deal, considering what's on offer on-site.

How the program helps developers

Spending but 48 hours in Republic of finland and two days at the AppCademy, it'due south clear to see why information technology works and how they manage to pump out quality content for consumers to relish. Not merely practise developers head to Finland to turn their concepts into reality, but they're too receiving one-to-ane sessions with coaches nowadays. This time helps the developers and entrepreneurs develop cardinal skills to be successful in the competitive app market.

Valerio Pullano, Giulia Scifoni, Justine Silipo and Edouard Wawra of Gamepix

AppCampus seeks both developers and entrepreneurs, each brining unique skill and specialties to the tabular array. Should they have areas for comeback, this is where the coaches help educate the teams with production-orientated assistance. To assist the teams succeed, AppCampus utilises professional person software development processes & quality balls. Network and marketing, along with Windows Phone Store and Nokia Store back up is also covered.

The building itself is open, with multiple companies based alongside ane another. Taking up a big proportion of the tertiary flooring, "AppSpace" is a ane,000sqm open plan environment with focus on collaboration, besides as individual development. There's everything nowadays to survive a harsh Finnish winter, including two kitchens and other facilities. Oh, and when at that place's that fourth dimension y'all wish for some solitary fourth dimension, the placidity room comes in handy. Designed by Finnish designer Esa Santamäki, it'southward certainly a workspace you'd actually relish working in.

Did nosotros mention 4G LTE? Nokia Solutions and Networks (NSN) has installed the technology at Aalto University.

The environment is rather relaxed, merely there'south never a moment when someone is technically doing zero. There's seemingly e'er something to exercise. Once at the Aalto Academy, those participating in the programme take to continue through the process, which is detailed below:

The AppCampus procedure as a whole

Equally highlighted in the above slide, the process starts as soon as the submission is sent through and approved. In full, 20 teams are invited to the campus for iv weeks of training and support later the approving stage. That'southward just one calendar month. There'southward not a whole lot of time on offering, which is why it can sometimes be rather hectic to get everything covered. Here's what is provided for AppCademy teams:

• €1000 travel expense
• New device (Nokia Lumia 925)
• Costless lodging
• Some nutrient (who needs it, eh?)
• Covers 2 people

"Foundbite was one of the start apps approved on the program and nosotros travelled out to Finland for the outset AppCademy last Nov. This was a cracking opportunity to encounter other like-minded developers, receive valuable coaching and make useful contacts within Microsoft and Nokia.

Being part of the plan and the funding Mendzapp has received through AppCampus has meant I am now working full-time developing Foundbite, something that wouldn't accept been possible otherwise."

James Mundy, Mendzapp

While at the AppCademy, developers are put through intense training, including multiple lectures, workshops and hands-on experiences. While we were only present for two days, it was obvious how difficult each team was working, pouring in the hours and reaping the benefits of a qualified team of support personnel.

We've touched on the nuts that are covered at AppCademy, as well as the squad whose chore it is to mentor the teams, merely what topics are the developers and entrepreneurs taught?

• Branding & Positioning
• Design & UX Excellence
• Development & QA
• Monetization & Distribution
• Marketing & Communications
• Pitching & Fundraising
• Customer Evolution

We were present forth with local media to meet some demo pitches

Equally noted above, information technology's much more than than unproblematic developer help as many would automatically assume. AppCademy prepares the teams for situations and problems they will face once their piece of work is live and they've turned their concept into a business. As we've touched on numerous times in the past, developers tin can't just publish apps and exist washed with it. At that place's also support, marketing, distribution, pitching, client development and more than.

Information technology'south not all work and no play, though. The twenty-four hour period before we arrived, the AppCampus coiffure and developer teams went to Båtvik, the Nokia Training center (approximately 50km to the west of AppSpace, on the coast). The day consisted of talks from Nokia folk (Care, GoToMarket and Privacy & Security), as well as a fume sauna (savusauna) in the evening. Not bad.

Developers and the AppCampus squad after a day trip to Nokia's Båtvik Training Center

Both Nokia and Microsoft are involved to ensure tools and services are available for developers to take full advantage of. Each squad is provided the following:

• Membership to the Premium Developer Program – to all projects: includes upwardly to $1500 value access to Windows Phone Developer Center, Telerik RadControls UI Suite, Buddy.Com Cloud API's and 2 Tech Support Tickets.
• Tools to promote Apps* — Marketing Guides, Digital Marketing Toolkit, Create pro-quality videos, websites, Facebook tabs.
• Nokia Ad Substitution* — Admission pinnacle 120 advertisement networks with full cross-platform support, payment in 200+ countries, smart, contextual servicing, assuasive developers to manage their own promotions.

* denotes offer is subject area to agreement.

Once developers have developed their app and have a consummate understanding surrounding all topics and areas covered past the program, they're then unleashed into the wild with their published app / game and provided grant. The side by side pace is to get put everything they've learnt to the test and make it large in the mobile app industry.

Thinking of applying?

If you're looking to apply, that's fantastic news. We strongly recommend you check out material available on the AppCampus website (www.appcampus.fi), besides as other resources. For example, the ideal criteria for submissions is as follows:

• Differentiation: a brand new app that is not available in any mobile app store, OR an existing app on iOS/Android with differentiated features on Windows Telephone (please see next question and await at Key Features we warmly welcome).
• Mass market appeal: potential to generate a high number of downloads (more than 0,five million per year) and/or revenue (tens of thousands of EUR)
• Experienced mobile developer: has feel building apps on 1 of the chief mobile platforms (iOS/Android/WP) with demonstrated design, technical and business capabilities.
• Convincing Overall Proposal:  app blueprint, technical solution, concern model.

As well as the above, you should too look at including highlighted features in your concept, which Windows Telephone is surely capable of as a platform. These are conveniently supplied on the AppCampus website. Remember: the more than unique your concept is, the ameliorate take a chance it has of standing out.

Here's a handy slide that shows some statistics of the AppCampus program, regarding submissions:

What does AppCampus exercise for consumers?

Information technology's all well and dandy talking about the program for developers and those who wish to essentially brand a living off their ideas, merely what almost consumers? The project provides a lot for the Windows Phone community – quality content. Smartphone owners arguably employ apps and games from app stores more anything else on the handset, and since Windows Phone is all the same lagging behind in app numbers, this program aims to make full gaps with simply the best deployments.

Tin you get involved in some way? Absolutely! Check out the apps published by the teams through the program. See which ones have to your liking and download them. Endeavor them out, leave reviews, burn down some feedback to the developers and share the word with friends and others online — just like you would with any programmer on the Windows Telephone platform.

The AppCampus program continues for another few years, so we can expect to see numerous more apps and games to come through. While we were nowadays at the AppSpace, it was exciting to come across the level of quality, the scope, imagination, concept and appetite on show. It was really impressive to see exactly how AppCampus mentors the teams, providing tools, services and knowledge. This is all so consumers (you lot guys) have a better experience with your smartphone.

Lastly, information technology shows how Nokia, Microsoft and Aalto University are working to secure new content for Windows Telephone, every bit well as look at future innovations with app / game ideas.

Some of the results

A drove of stickies naming all the apps and games published

What'southward a plan like AppCampus without results? There are numerous apps and games available on the Windows Telephone Store today that are the product of the joint effort from Nokia, Microsoft and Aalto University. We've covered some of them in the by, but here are a handful to jog the retentivity:

SongArcis a contempo gem that was mined from the depths of AppCampus. Sporting incredibly addictive gameplay and existence one of the (if not the) all-time rhythm based games bachelor for Windows Phone, information technology's a must-take for whatsoever music fan. Yous're tasked with striking the notes as they wing down the screen and accrue the most points. You can download SongArc from the Windows Phone Shop.

Tawkable Chinese is an interesting game for Windows Telephone. The app essentially helps you learn Mandarin Chinese by wrapping linguistic communication lessons upward in an adventure game. It's a neat concept and works well. You can also add other words afterwards on to help you better your agreement of the linguistic communication. Y'all tin can catch Tawkable Chinese from the Windows Phone Store.

That's just a teaser. Y'all tin can find out all the games and apps that have been published through the program over on the AppCampus website.

AppCampus social links:

• Website
• Twitter
• Facebook

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Source: https://www.windowscentral.com/how-appcampus-program-helps-developers-windows-phone

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