With mobile app sales projected to reach $18 billion in 2011 and various app stores offering more than a billion listed apps, the mobile app marketplace features exponential growth and opportunities.

The success of your company's app strategy depends on launching and perfecting your content on multiple platforms and multiple mobile devices – whether smartphones, tablets or netbook -- iOS or Android. There is much to master from launch to discovery to monetisation.

If you can’t make it to every Platform and Tool Dev-Rel Conference in the US – let UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) help you learn from the experts.

We are currently recruiting B2B and B2C companies with cutting-edge mobile app strategies to join us for four days of sharing best practice and shortcuts to success, from Silicon Valley’s leading brands and platforms in the mobile app industry.

Send your rock star developer to San Francisco to learn from the best, while showcasing your app(s).

Make sure your company is one of the 30 selected to attend!

During the four day programme of tech talks and workshops the delegate companies will:

• Learn from experts and creators 
• Network with peers and innovators
• Promote your company and showcase your technology

Mission activities will include:

• A pre-departure meeting to discuss your company’s international expansion plans
• Four days of meetings, tech-talks and master classes with strategists and evangelists from:
  • Major platform companies such as Apple, Google*, RIM and HP
    
  • Multi-platform tools such as PayPal and RhoMobile
  • B2B strategies such as Mashery and  Salesforce
  • B2C strategies such as Openfeint, Tapjoy, GluMobile
• Demonstration stand at networking event to showcase and demo your app(s) to Silicon Valley press and potential partners

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

If you are selected to participate in this mission, you will be required to make payment of a £666 mission fee though UKTI’s Overseas Market Introduction Service (OMIS).  This fee provides for overall mission programme and outlined activities.  UKTI will provide you with your OMIS login details and instructions on how to make payment though the system.  Costs associated with transportation and accommodations around the mission are NOT included in this fee, and delegates are responsible for these arrangements separately.

Application to attend this mission does not guarantee selection. Selection to attend is a competitive review process.  Delegate companies will need to meet the following minimum criteria:

1.       UK based SME*

Or

2.       UK based Mobile App team  (<50 people) in a larger company

And must have:

3.       Launched at least one mobile app (ideally a suite of apps)  with at least 1500 downloads and 25 ratings

And ideally a:

4.       Software Developer with awesome C++/Java capabilities and some GUI skills too

Deadline to apply is 20th August 2011, and applications will be considered on a rolling basis. 

All applicants will be notified by 25th August 2011 whether or not they have been selected to participate in this mission. 

If you are selected to participate in this mission, you must make payment via the OMIS system by 6th September 2011 to guarantee your space in the mission.

*UKTI has adopted the European Union definition of a SME.  This is a business which meets all of the following criteria:
a) has less than 250 employees;
b) has an annual turnover not exceeding EURO 50m, or an annual balance sheet total not exceeding EURO 43m;
c) is independent, i.e. not more than 25% of its capital or voting rights are owned by one enterprise, or jointly by several enterprises, which fail to meet any of the above points a) and b) although this threshold may be exceeded in the following two cases:
(i) if the business is held by public investment corporations, venture capital companies or institutional investors, provided no control is exercised either individually or jointly over it;
(ii) if the capital is spread in such a way that it is not possible to determine by whom it is held and the business can legitimately declare that 25% or more of it is not owned by one enterprise or jointly by several enterprises falling outside the definition of a SME.