over 4 years ago
Finalists (for real this time!)
Now that the suspense has really built up, we're pleased to announce the finalists who will be advancing to the Customer Engagement round! Read the full Amazon Alexa blog post here and try out the finalist skills!
- Onesie Bazaar
- EVIE Assistant
- Busy Hands
- TransportMe
- Safe and Well
- Recycling Center
- World Mathematics League
- Shower Buddy
- Agent Do Good
- Volunteer Options
Please note:
- Finalists, we'll reach out to you shortly!
- If you are not a finalist, don't worry! The bonus category prizes can go to any eligible submission in the category and will be determined by the final judging panel…
over 4 years ago
Finalists not announced yet! Oops!
Hi Participants - You just received a message that the finalists have been announced, but this isn't true! We will be announcing them shortly and you will get another message when we do.
I'm sorry about that!
- Stef @ Devpost
Questions?
If you have any questions about the hackathon, please post on the discussion forum.
over 4 years ago
And the finalists are...
The judges have deliberated and chosen 10 finalists for Round 2 of the competition. Visit the Alexa Skills Challenge: Tech for Good gallery to congratulate the winners and check out all the skills. You might see something you’ll want to try out for yourself!
Round 1 of the competition is over, but we’ve got lots of other opportunities. Check out upcoming in-person and online hackathons and build something amazing.
Questions?
If you have any questions about the hackathon, please post on the discussion forum.
over 4 years ago
Thank you for participating!
Hi Tech for Good skill builders!
The deadline passed on Monday evening and we wanted to thank you for all your hard work. As we work through the certification period, take a look at the submission gallery and get inspired by all the awesome skills for good. We can't wait to see who comes out on top!
- Alexa Skills Challenge: Tech for Good team
over 4 years ago
Final call for Submissions - Top Tips for Certification
There are only 3 days left to submit your skill to the Alexa Skills Challenge: Tech for Good. We are approaching that time in the contest for you to wrap up building your skill and think about submitting it for certification.
The Alexa Skills catalog is home to tens of thousands of Alexa Skills thanks to our amazing developer community. And as most you know, every Alexa skill submitted to Amazon undergoes a certification process prior to being published in our public catalog. To help you navigate this process, we've shared its main purpose and requirements, the top issues…
over 4 years ago
One week to go – How to Build Great Skills for Echo Show and Echo Spot
There are 7 days left to submit your entry to the Alexa Skills Challenge: Tech for Good. This week our update focuses specifically on one Bonus Prize category: “Best Skill for Echo Show & Echo Spot”.
With the Echo family of devices now including devices with screens like Echo Show and Echo Spot, you have to consider their graphical user interface (GUI) in addition to their voice user interface (VUI) during the voice design process. To help you understand this and do it in the best way possible, we've outlined top tips for designing multimodal, voice-first experiences…
almost 5 years ago
Using Open Data to Create Richer Skills - Alexa Skills Challenge: Tech For Good
One way to build richer Alexa skills is to make sure you provide relevant and dynamic information to customers every time they use your skill. For example, if you create a simple fact skill, a user may find the experience interesting the first and second time they use the skill but after that, they will keep running into the same information and might no longer see value in using your skill. Using open data can help you pull information that is relevant and different every time your customer comes back to use your skill. Here is a quick example to…
almost 5 years ago
Reminder: Twitch webinar on Friday!
Happening this Friday, September 7th, live on Twitch:
- Date: Friday, September 7
- Time: 9:30 am – 11 am PST
- Where: Live on twitch.tv/aws
Join AWS Serverless Developer Advocate, Chris Munns, and Amazon Alexa Solutions Architect, Akersh Srivastava, as they build an Alexa Skill, package it using the AWS Serverless Application Model (AWS SAM), and publish it to the AWS Serverless Application Repository in real time. They’ll also be ready to answer your questions during the broadcast, so bring ‘em on!
Their mission: Give you all the resources you need to build and submit…
almost 5 years ago
Two weeks to go—submit early!
It’s getting close! There are two weeks left to submit your Alexa tech for good skill. Submissions are due September 17, 2018 before 5pm ET. (Find out what time that is in your city)
If you haven't started a submission yet, please do so now. (We’ll walk you through our submission form process if you need help.) And if you've just recently joined the challenge, explore the quick-start guide and browse the Resources page.
Submission checklist
Before the deadline passes, make sure you run through this list:
- Are you submitting a functioning Alexa skill that has a…
almost 5 years ago
Building Alexa Skills “For Good”
What exactly is a “tech for good” skill? It’s a skill that has a positive impact on the planet or on local communities and that solves a real customer problem. These should be skills that customers keep coming back to because they continue to provide ongoing value. Here are a few ideas of the types of skills we are thinking of in each of our content bonus prize categories:
- Sustainable transportation: A skill that helps you plan your route using public transit, or that tells you the location of the nearest bike-share bike or electric vehicle charging station, or a…
almost 5 years ago
Learn how to double your tech for good (and prize potential): Twitch broadcast 9/7 @ 9:30am PST
Want to enter two hackathons at once? You can! Need to learn more about how to build your solutions in real time? You can do that, too!
Build an Alexa skill to submit to the Amazon Alexa Skills Challenge: Tech for Good hackathon. Then, package it using AWS SAM to publish it to the AWS Serverless Application Repository and submit it to the AWS Serverless Apps for Social Good hackathon.
If you need help, we’re hosting a live Twitch broadcast on Friday, September 7, from 9:30 am – 11 am PST. Want to read more about the…
almost 5 years ago
Three weeks left—Bonus Tech Tip: Using Advanced Voice Features
There are three weeks remaining in the Alexa Skills Challenge: Tech for Good. Submissions are due September 17, 2018 before 5pm ET. (Find out what time that is in your city)
Start your submission now
Starting a submission is a good way to make sure that your skill meets the requirements. There’s nothing worse than getting to the deadline, only to realize that you’re missing a key component. Remember: once you submit a project, you can keep editing it as needed at any time prior to the submission deadline. Need a primer on how the submission form…
almost 5 years ago
6 Tips for Submitting a Great Entry to the Alexa Skills Challenge: Tech for Good
The Alexa Skills Challenge: Tech for Good is well underway with 24 days left to submit your entries and hundreds of developers have registered to participate. We are very excited to see and review what everyone builds once the submission period ends on September 17th at 5:00PM ET (Find out what time that is in your city). For those of you just getting started or hearing about the challenge, it's not too late to join.
6 Tips for Building Great Skills for Good
Building a great skill can take time. So we wanted to share a few tips to…
almost 5 years ago
Four weeks left - begin planning your submission video
With only four weeks left, we know you’re focused on preparing your Alexa skill for submission, but don't forget about your video. It's often the first (and sometimes only!) thing that judges review.
(Video Tip: Remember to include #AmazonAlexaTechforGoodChallenge on the video page. This can be in the title, in the video itself, or in the video description text.)
Your video tells the story behind your submission, providing a clear way to showcase your app and talent in a video:
- Establish your elevator pitch. In the first few seconds of your video, explain how your skill has…
almost 5 years ago
Don’t Miss Tips for Building Great Alexa Skills for Good (8/7)
REMINDER: Learn more about the Alexa Skills Challenge: Tech for Good and how to build an Alexa skill that can have a positive impact on the environment and local communities. Register now to learn tips for creating voice-first experiences, and enter for a chance to win an Amazon Echo Dot and your share of prizes. (Find out what time that is in your city).
Questions?
If you have any questions about the hackathon, please post on the discussion forum.
almost 5 years ago
Quick-start guide
It’s time to get started with the Alexa Skills Challenge: Tech for Good! Once you have officially registered (if you haven’t done so already) we’ll be sending you regular updates throughout the competition. Submissions are due September 17, 2018 at 5:00pm ET.
- Sign up for an Amazon Developer account. If you don’t have an Amazon Developer account yet, sign up for one (it’s free!). While you’re at the Amazon Developer portal, review the documentation for building with the Alexa Skills Kit.
- Review the rules. Thoroughly read the competition rules to ensure your submission complies. Please note that your…