AppsForAsia: Fostering Technology Innovation in South Korea

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AppsForAsia is a new initiative created by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Microsoft, and is supported by regional information technology (IT) associations, private sector technology partners and universities. The programme aims to harness the creative power of hundreds of software developers to create sustainable solutions for the economic, commercial and social benefit of governments, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), citizens and enterprises throughout Asia.

In this post we are pleased to present the winning AppsForAsia entries from South Korea.

Two software developer teams from South Korea showcased their innovative app ideas — Filament and Mapi — at the 46th Annual Meeting of the ADB, held on 2-5 May in New Delhi, India.

The Filament app provides real-time tracking capabilities that are compatible with existing report management systems, in order for users to facilitate incident reporting and enhance their security posture during emergency situations.

Developed to improve the safety of South Korean citizens, the Filament logo features a light bulb as part of the design, symbolising the app’s function to “illuminate the dark places of the world”. Besides tracking the movement of users in crime-prone areas, the app also serves to minimise accidents and shorten emergency response time by identifying the location of people in real time.

Software developer Fundemental created the Mapi app to provide users with an easy-to-use navigation system that allows users to post information and communicate about the best transportation routes in South Korea.

A combination of the words ‘map’ and ‘Wikipedia’, Mapi reflects Fundemental’s vision to develop a reliable, crowdsourced online map system that is based on user experiences.

By enabling users to share information on their current location online, the Mapi app also helps to identify the shortest route, alert users of road traffic situations in real time, and provide route suggestions based on the mode of transportation. Another feature of the app provides users with the option to view routes to their destination that others have posted.

Congratulations to these young developer teams from South Korea!

For more information, please visit the AppsForAsia website.