Nokia teams up with Sesame Street to save the world

Ian Grant

Friday 08 January 2010 10:10

Mobile phone maker Nokia has teamed up with Sesame Street producers to encourage software developers to build mobile apps that can help save the environment, lift spirits, improve productivity, educate and promote healthy lifestyles.

The company said it "wants 2010 to be a year of good ideas that make a difference in peoples' lives".

Nokia announced Calling All Innovators 2010, an international contest for apps that inspire creativity and change in four areas: ecological and "greenness", productivity, life skills and entertainment.

Forum Nokia, which is running the event, has teamed up with Sesame Workshop, the producers of Sesame Street, for the education subcategory of the life improvement category.

They hope to encourage developers to create applications to teach early literacy on Nokia devices to communities around the world. Sesame Workshop will guide the judging and work with chosen developers to enhance relevant projects that take Sesame Street onto mobiles.

"With Forum Nokia's community of over 4.5 million developers, we are challenging particularly those in emerging markets to create educational tools that make a positive impact," said Jeffrey Fleishman, assistant vice-president for media distribution business development at Sesame Workshop. "Our goal is to find some partners with which we can work to extend the power of Sesame Street to new platforms and places."

The apps will be sold through Nokia's Ovi Store.