Cambridge, MA-based Appswell's crowdsourced approach to mobile applications development is going green. The start-up announced today it is powering the mobile app component for General Electric's
Appswell, which describes itself as an "American Idol" for Apple
Appswell's Ecomagination iPhone app allows consumers to enter and vote on cleantech business ideas on the go. The mobile feedback integrates with the challenge's website, thanks to technology from San Francisco-based BrightIdea, a maker of software platforms aimed at managing innovation for organizations. Appswell's involvement in the GE contest also marks the launch of its business services division, which is aimed at helping companies use the iPhone as a platform for social contests.
"We're really excited to be working with GE on this," Appswell CEO Dan Sullivan told me in a phone interview this afternoon. "Their willingness to tap the collective wisdom of the crowd is very impressive and very industry leading."
"From a start-up perspective, this is a perfect relationship for us," he added.
There's a lot at stake for those submitting cleantech ideas through the Ecomagination contest, which was announced last month. The 10-week challenge has competitors vying for five $100,000 grants. And the idea with the most user-submitted votes will get a $50,000 cash prize, according to the contest website. GE and other venture collaborators have also pledged to put $200 million toward investing in promising startups and ideas discovered through the contest.
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Erin Kutz is an Assistant Editor for Xconomy. You can reach her by email at [email protected] or by phone at (617) 252-0700.