Milestone Systems has announced a contest called Milestone Community Kickstarter 2017, with the submission period ending November 30, 2016.
 
For the past decade, members of the Milestone Solution Partner program have created over 175 video-enabling applications that add value for XProtect open platform VMS customers. Now Milestone is sponsoring an innovation contest with the objective of uncovering even more video enabling capabilities. It is aimed at developing unique solutions in video management, security surveillance or beyond security to other interesting applications that can “plug in” to the XProtect VMS product family. The only requirement is that the solution be created using the free Milestone Integration Platform Software Development Kit (MIP SDK).
 
The winning concept can be an integration, added functionality, widget, or code that extends the use of video in physical security or improves everyday life. Participating developers can use Milestone VMS as a visual tool, a device trigger, a base for analyzing data or measuring information that can be applied in totally new ways.
 
The winner of this contest will be revealed at the Milestone Integration Platform Symposium (MIPS) 2017 to be held in San Antonio, Texas, February 14-15. Conceived by Milestone, this initiative is designed as a collaboration with the open platform community to promote and support innovation, including funding for development activities and go-to-market assistance for new concepts from their infancy.
 
“We are sponsoring this Milestone Community Kickstarter Program 2017 competition to encourage and enable new thinking and innovative video-enabling applications with the XProtect VMS product family,” says Bjørn Skou Eilertsen, chief technology officer, Milestone Systems. “Visualizing technologies are changing our world today, and Milestone aims to help our community of partners and customers be a part of that. Whatever the ideas are out there, we want to hear about it and help bring them to life!”
 
The contest is open to any individual who has a unique idea. It may be a piece of code to improve physical security at a small retail shop; a concept to help kids learn better at school or do better in sports; a way to monitor patterns for improvements in production, logistics, transportation, construction or agriculture; a simple but important aid for patients and the elderly.
 
The winner will receive a prize valued at more than USD $50,000 including:

• Cash prize of $10,000
• Solution design review and feedback
• Development support of the prototype
• Milestone Solution Certification of the selected solution
• Market exposure

To be eligible, the idea must be the person’s own intellectual property, and entrants must submit as an individual, not on behalf of a company or a group. Five finalists will be announced in December and given free entry and an exhibitor booth at the MIPS 2017 event to begin their community discovery journey, and the winner will be announced during the conference.
 
To enter a submission before November 30th, see the official rules for the Milestone Community Kickstarter Contest 2017 at: http://bit.ly/2fod9Ty.