Here we go year four -- Go Code Colorado 2017

Go Code Colorado launches 2017 statewide app competition during kickoff event

DENVER, Feb. 2, 2017 -- Secretary of State Wayne Williams launched the fourth Go Code Colorado business app competition during a kickoff event at Galvanize Wednesday night. The challenge asks entrepreneurs and software developers to use public data to create business insights. At stake are three contracts with the state worth $25,000 each.

The evening included the unveiling of the Go Code Colorado 2017 challenge statement:

Create an app and business concept that helps businesses build a competitive strategy.

"Colorado has something great going," said Colorado Secretary of State Wayne Williams. "Our tech ecosystem is healthy and growing and we’re tapping into that resource, asking innovative minds to turn public data into business insights. I can’t wait to see what kind of ideas come out of the year four challenge."

Go Code Colorado brings together developers, entrepreneurs and tech enthusiasts around the state to build apps aimed to serve Colorado businesses through meaningful use of public data. During the kickoff event, top tech leaders from across the state discussed how Go Code Colorado has created a community around entrepreneurship and driven innovation through the use of public data.

"Anyone that wants to understand the full potential of open data and be a part of this amazing community, needs to compete in the Go Code Colorado app challenge," Michelle Parvinrouh, executive director of Peak Startup, in Colorado Springs. "Aside from the prize money Go Code opens up extensive doors of opportunity to any startup."

The Go Code Colorado team continues to publish new business-relevant data in an easy to use format on the Colorado Information Marketplace (data.colorado.gov).

Last year, the three winning apps addressed business challenges for users across a wide range of areas: food truck operators, hiring managers and oil and gas companies.

Each team walked away with $25,000 and an invaluable experience that gave them an opportunity to put their work in front of some of Colorado’s top tech entrepreneurs, lawyers and other influential members of the community.

Go Code Colorado is a chance for anyone with a passion for data, development and entrepreneurship, to come together and show us what you’ve got.

Mark your calendars for these Go Code Colorado 2017 dates and find more event details online at gocode.colorado.gov:

• Challenge weekend - April 7 from 6 to 8 pm
• Mentor Weekend - April 21 from 6 to 8 pm (10 finalist teams only)
• Final Competition - May 24 from 6 to 10 pm

About Go Code Colorado: Go Code Colorado is a statewide business app challenge housed in Colorado Secretary of State Wayne Williams’ office. The award-winning challenge – the first and only statewide effort of its kind – brings together a community of entrepreneurs, business partners and software developers to use public data to solve business problems. Many private sector organizations support Go Code Colorado, including the 2017 challenge summit partner, AT&T.