MasterCard is inviting Canadian coders to participate in a two-day developer challenge, building payments-related apps for cash prizes.
To mark its 40 years in Canada, the card giant will host its MasterCard NXT event at the MaRS Discovery District centre in Toronto in late September. Registration for the event, which is co-sponsored by telco Rogers and bank Cibc, will open on 18 July.
Working in teams, professional and student developers will spend two days working with MasterCard's open API and tool kit to build any type of app with a payment connection.
Mobile specialist Xtreme Labs is working with MasterCard to create a resource portal for developers and will offer in-person workshop teaching developers how to tap into the API.
Winners will be chosen by a judging panel made up of technology bigwigs, with three top prizes of C$10,000 and access to senior IT executives to pitch their app idea.
Amar Varma, CEO, Xtreme Labs, says: "The developer challenge is an excellent way to foster innovation, tap into Canada's exceptional tech talent and push the boundaries of creativity and collaboration."
MasterCard is also sponsoring the creation of The MasterCard deck, an outdoor patio space within the heritage building of the MaRS Centre, an innovation incubator for young start-up.