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NYC BigApps 2.0 Winners Announced

Automobile manufacturer BMW surprisingly doubled NYC BigApps 2.0 contest prize money.

Commuting updates and facilitating sports games were winning apps in this year’s NYC BigApps 2.0 open government competition announced March 31 by Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

In its second year, the competition challenges software developers and citizens to build apps that integrate public data from more than 350 data sets supplied by more than 40 city agencies.

This year’s grand prize winning app was Roadify, an iPhone app that helps New York City commuters find open parking spots, give bus and subway conditions, and other features — all in real time. The second-place winner was Sportaneous, which integrates location-based technology to arrange sports games between users. The app includes the time and location of a proposed match, how many people have committed to participate and notes from team captains.

In a surprise announcement, Bloomberg said that BMW is doubling the contest’s cash prizes from $20,000 to $40,000. In support of the BigApps initiative, the automaker announced that it will launch a small incubator space in the city in addition to a $10 million venture capital fund.

“BMW’s announcement of its support of our BigApps initiative and the launch of its new venture capital fund in New York City are great testaments to our strength in the technology sector and the confidence the private sector has in our future,” Bloomberg said in a statement.

This year, nearly 10,000 people voted on the competition’s 58 submitted apps. Fourteen of the apps received awards such as honorable mentions and popular choice.