NAVTEQ Announces North America Winners of the 2006 NAVTEQ Global LBS Challenge(TM)9 April 2006
NAVTEQ (NYSE: NVT), a leading global provider of digital map data for vehicle navigation and location-based solutions, awarded the North America winners of the NAVTEQ Global LBS Challenge. The challenge is designed to stimulate the LBS industry by encouraging application developers from around the world to build innovative location-based service (LBS) applications that work with portable devices using wireless technology and NAVTEQ(R) maps. Over 140 companies registered for the Challenge, of which 14 semifinalists advanced to the final judging in Las Vegas, NV. The semifinalists represented a broad spectrum of wireless applications in four categories: Navigation, Business Applications, Entertainment and Leisure, and Social Networking. Semi-finalists were selected based on each competitor's commercial feasibility, functionality and design.
The grand-prize winner and Business Applications Category Winner, Tierravision, received $50,000 in cash and $100,000 worth of NAVTEQ Map licenses for up to one year.
Tierravision's application, WorkSpace Locator, is a location-enabled application that allows real-time tracking of workforce resources, as well as a high quality mapping interface for salesforce.com. WorkSpace Locator is powered by Networks in Motion and Telcontar.
Each category winner, excluding the Grand Prize Winner, will receive $10,000 in cash and $75,000 worth of NAVTEQ Map licenses for up to one year.
The solution category winners are:
Business Applications
Company: Tierravision
Solution: WorkSpace Locator
Navigation
Company: Skyhook Wireless
Solution: Loki
Sky Hook Wireless' Loki application automatically identifies a user's exact location utilizing WIFI as a GPS alternative, enabling locally relevant searches and retrieval of locally relevant content.
Entertainment and Leisure
Company: LOC-AID
Solution: LOC-AID(R) Treasure
Loc-Aid Treasure is an exciting game that combines the fun of a mobile treasure hunt with the dynamics of real-time location. LOC-AID Treasure is powered by ESRI.
Social Networking
Company: Proxpro
Solution: Proxpro
This professional profile research application provides users with the power to dynamically locate friends, make new contacts and enhance social and professional networks. Proxpro's LBS application is powered by Autodesk Location Services.
NAVTEQ Global LBS Challenge
The NAVTEQ Global LBS Challenge has grown from 30 applications submitted three years ago to nearly 500 applications submitted to date. This year's Challenge was expanded and the contestant base included developers from around the world - applications were received from over 20 countries.
First launched in North America in October 2003, the contest is focused on driving the development and visibility of innovative location-enabled solutions for wireless devices. Industry validation over the past three years of the Global LBS Challenge for the category overall encouraged NAVTEQ to host the judging and presentations for the first time in both Europe and North America this year. The European judging and awards presentation took place at 3GSM in Barcelona, Spain, where ALK Technologies was named the Grand Prize Winner.
Executives from wireless carriers, hardware and device manufacturers and other influential players in the wireless industry served as the official judges and completed the judging on Tuesday, April 4. The judges based their final decisions on three criteria: usability, applicability and ease of use.
Sponsors of the North American Global LBS Challenge included Autodesk, ESRI, Motorola, Networks in Motion, Nokia, SiRF Technology, Telcontar. In addition, the Challenge had several media sponsors including GPS World, Location Box and RCR Wireless.
"The NAVTEQ Global LBS Challenge brings recognition to developers who are doing outstanding work in creating wireless location and navigation services based on leading technologies including Symbian and Java," said Brad Brockhaug, Senior Director, Developer Business, Forum Nokia. "The program rewards excellence and innovation in providing valuable new solutions and provides benchmarks that help to improve business practices across the industry. Nokia is proud to be a sponsor of this important global program."
"We launched the NAVTEQ Global LBS Challenge to help stimulate the LBS industry by providing a forum that supports the development of creative new applications, while providing the carriers with an efficient means of evaluating them. As demonstrated by the outstanding level of quality seen in this year's submitted applications, and the success of past winners in North America, we are excited to see the LBS industry experiencing great growth and increased consumer visibility," commented Winston Guillory, Senior Vice President - Consumer and Business Solutions, NAVTEQ. "On behalf of NAVTEQ and the Challenge sponsors and judges, we congratulate the winners, and wish great success to all of the semifinalists."
Registration for next year's Global LBS Challenge opens on May 15, 2006. More information is available at http://www.LBSChallenge.com .
About NAVTEQ
NAVTEQ is a leading provider of comprehensive digital map information for automotive navigation systems, mobile navigation devices, Internet-based mapping applications, and government and business solutions. NAVTEQ creates the digital maps and map content that power navigation and location-based services solutions around the world. The Chicago-based company was founded in 1985 and has approximately 1,900 employees located in 131 offices in 23 countries.
NAVTEQ is a trademark in the U.S. and other countries.
This document may include certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, plans, objectives, expectations and intentions and other statements contained in this press release that are not historical facts and statements identified by words such as "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "plans", "believes", "seeks", "estimates" or words of similar meaning. These statements are based on our current beliefs or expectations and are inherently subject to various risks and uncertainties, including those set forth under "Item 1A. Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
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