TELECOMS & MOBILE
Eircom gets innovative with new fund
23-11-2007
by Charlie Taylor
Eircom has launched a new EUR100,000 Web Innovation Fund to promote, mentor and sponsor innovative Web 2.0 applications.
The fund will focus on new apps such as micro-blogging, embedded voice applications, mashups and social networking.
The decision to launch a new fund which celebrates innovation highlights a recent change in attitude from Eircom, which has previously been slow to embrace change.
Under the new fund, which was announced at the end of the telco's 'Broadband Week', up to four concepts will be selected each year. Selected winners will enter into an agreement with the firm to develop concepts through to production with the possibility of applications being launched on the Eircom.net platform.
Funding of up to EUR100,000 will be released on a staged basis throughout the six-month development process, according to needs assessed on a per-case basis, the firm said.
The company added that following the launch of particular applications, it will provide ongoing monthly funding in order to continue development of the product in line with customer feedback, and as part of a standard content agreement.
"The aim of the fund is to incubate creative and innovative web application development at the grassroots in Ireland," said Cathal Magee, managing director of Eircom Retail, in a statement.
"The establishment of the fund is a clear signal of Eircom's outward approach to innovation. The company must be well positioned to maintain its leadership position as the next wave of web services are introduced," he added.
Applicants are invited to submit concepts across nine key categories. These are as follows:
1. Discovery: domain specific search, indexing, ranking, querying techniques, personalisation, recommendations, information aggregation.
2. Messaging: IM, new / open messaging frameworks, e-mail, alerts.
3. Voice: VoIP telephony, mashups, asynchronous and embedded voice applications.
4. Location: mapping, location-based services, geospacial web, location-based content aggregation.
5. Publishing: blogging and microblogging, syndication, microformats, widgets.
6. Communities: social networks, open standards, mashups, visualisations, aggregators.
7. Content creation: music, video, film & TV, gaming, sport, lifestyle.
8. Advertising: formats, platforms, technologies, networks, targeting, syndication, widgets.
9. Identity: presence, capabilities management, lightweight identity platforms, cross-platform solutions, social identity management.
The announcement rounds off a busy couple of days for Eircom which has made a number of announcements during its 'Broadband Week.' On Monday, the firm unveiled its 'Get More' strategy, which is aimed at educating customers about the potential of broadband.
This was followed by the re-launch of its online music store, the renewal of is sponsorship of the Golden Spider Awards, and announcements covering a new strategic gaming partnership with Microsoft and Xbox LIVE, and a music bursary for unsigned bands.
Further information and application forms for the Web Innovation Fund are available at www.eircom.net/innovation. Submissions are due in February 2008.
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