Grab your mobile skills and come camping with us August 24 to 26, 2012 at the Mobile Experience Innovation Centre’s Mobile App Camp!

The Mobile Experience Innovation Centre (MEIC) is pleased to announce that Corus Entertainment and Rogers Media are sponsors of Mobile App Camp 2012!

The Mobile App Camp, which takes place August 24 to 26, 2012 at Corus Quay in Toronto, provides mobile and interactive digital media professionals with the opportunity to work in multi-disciplinary teams to brainstorm and develop new mobile app concepts.

As part of Corus and Rogers participation, the camp program will feature an exclusive opportunity for “campers” to develop mobile apps based on Corus Entertainment’s Babar & The Adventures of Badou and Scaredy Squirrel as well as Rogers Media’s Breakfast Television (BT) and LOU LOU Magazine.

Over the course of the weekend, mentors (a.k.a. camp counsellors), will be onsite at Corus Quay to provide direction and expertise. Microsoft will also be onsite providing technical support and information sessions for development on the Windows Phone platform. This is an amazing opportunity to work with your peers, colleagues and major players in the mobile app industry.

At the end of the weekend, participating team members will demonstrate their concept and pitch their business proposal to a panel of sponsors – including representatives from Rogers Media, Corus Entertainment and Bennett Jones – and the best of the best will be offered business opportunities to further their work and be eligible to win prizes!

Those interested in attending Mobile App Camp can apply online through www.mobileappcamp.ca. Approved campers will be provided with all the information required to register via email. There is a $50 per person fee. Full-time students are eligible for a 50% discount ($25). Valid identification will be required at the door.

MDOT gets mobile professionals together for two hours after work each month to talk tech and creative around mobile media content and platform development. The user group covers a wide range of topics and technologies.

This model represents the different types of companies in the value chain ecosystem. The arrows show the direction of added value. Click here to explore the map further.

This six-week program will provide intensive half-day workshops on the 6 steps involved in developing mobile products/services. A light lunch will be served and participants will receive one free drink at the networking event after each workshop.The program is as follows:

Workshop 1: Concept – Thursday, January 17, 2013

The Concept stage is where the initial idea for the project is developed. This is where blue sky thinking is engaged – what is my ideal project?

– Advice and tools for idea generation

– Skills for efficient and effective brainstorming

– Guidance when assessing the current marketplace, such as trend forecasting and research methods

– Tips for finding a market and defining an audience

Workshop 2: Definition & Business Case – Thursday, January 31, 2013

At this stage, ideas are expanded to see if they are financially and technically feasible. This workshop will assist mobile professionals to better understand the marketplace.

– How to build a successful business plan

– Examples of alternate business models

– Advice and tools for attracting investors and grants

– Budget management

Workshop 3: Mobile Design & Development – Thursday, February 14, 2013

This is the phase where both creative and technical design takes place.

– Various design processes

– Scheduling

– Advice and tools for developing across multiple platforms

– Tips for building your team and network

Workshop 4: Testing – Thursday, February 28, 2013

Testing is vital for both the creative and technical aspects of a mobile project. This is how you make sure your product is hitting audiences in the right way.

– Recommendations for testing

– Possible outcomes

– How to make the most of user testing

Workshop 5: Market Deployment – Thursday, March 14, 2013

Market deployment refers to the launch, distribution, marketing, and any other public events that may be a part of the lauch of the project.

– Examples of marketing, distribution, event launches

– Tools and advice for being market ready

– Sales strategies

– Tools and advice for assessing success

Workshop 6: Maintenance – Thursday, March 28, 2013

The product lifecycle does not end at deployment. The project needs to be maintained technically as well as creatively.

– Upgrades, new versions, new features

– Routine maintenance

– Addressing technical glitches, bugs

Is MAP right for my business?

We’re looking for the following types of companies:

• Startup businesses building mobile applications whose products would be conceived, developed, and sold within one year—mostly for iPhone, Android, and Blackberry platforms.
• Established businesses developing mobile applications for future networks, who could benefit from MEIC’s access to research infrastructure to test their product’s usability, market potential, and technology by linking them to a range of contributing stakeholders including prospective consumers.
• Businesses exploring the collaborative development, distribution, and interactive play of mobile applications over the expanding capabilities of the mobile internet.

Program Participant Eligibility

Acceptance is on a first-come-first-served basis, and the program will accept a maximum of 40 companies. Participants are able to register on a per-workshop basis or purchase a MAP package including all 6 workshops.

For more information and to register, visit http://map2013.eventbrite.com/

MAP is made possible with support from

Wavefront

City of Toronto

Microsoft Canada

For information on MEIC membership and to register for the Mobile Accelerator Program, visit our website at www.meic.ca or contact us at [email protected] or 416-977-6000 x4363.

MAP 2013 is slated to begin in January, 2013. Program schedule and registration details to follow.