Telecommunication firms are stepping up efforts to nurture young developers to boost the digital economy, with Telkomsel announcing the return of its NextDev competition, aiming to find digital solutions from young developers nationwide.

The theme for this year’s NextDev will revolve around digitally based “smart city” solutions, which promote the concepts of e-governance, smart environment and smart living; all of which are basic public services that could be immensely improved through the application of technology.

Going to 20 cities this year, Telkomsel’s intention is to try and focus technological development around rural and minor areas to help equalize digital innovation in non-urban areas.

Areas such as Ambon in Maluku province and Banda Aceh in Aceh province are particularly in focus for their potentials. The problem-solving themes of the competition include those related to agriculture, maritime, energy, tourism, education and transportation.

“Smart solutions must adhere to the city’s needs. That is why we are encouraging more developers from outside cities as we see that rural problems have some sort of interconnectedness to city problems,” Telkomsel president director Ririek Adriansyah said on Monday, adding that the smart-city concept must accommodate rural problems in a holistic way as seen in urban areas.

NextDev 2016 will be open to contestants within the 18 to 30 age range. Finalists will be provided mentoring in the technical skills needed such as coding, marketing, as well as communications skills.

Welcoming the competition’s aim, the Jakarta administration’s Jakarta Smart City division head, Setiaji, said that while the approach would be holistic, solutions must not stray far from the needs of a particular city.

“Potentials are all we have and all we talk about. Why can’t we be the producers of solutions instead of consumers? The more developers there are to help provide solutions to our mess, the better,” he said.

Last year, 500 solutions were submitted for the competition. The participants included apps as Jejakku, which promotes travel to destinations that have social benefits, and GandengTangan, a crowdfunding service to fund mainly social projects.

Telkomsel says that its role in advancing the projects include endorsing market access and mentoring.

Commenting on the possible outcomes of NextDev, Communications and Information Minister Rudiantara said that the smart-city concept could not just be left to the local governments to handle, emphasizing the need to create synergy between local developers as well.

“Smart cities need the full support of local governments, as they are responsible for government-to-government interaction, issuing permits and public assistance. Digital solutions will ease the hurdles that are commonly associated with these responsibilities,” he said.

Rudiantara also underlined the need for telecommunication companies to strengthen their broadband networks, as the backbone of digital solutions lay above robust internet connections. Solutions for smart cities, he added, must focus on connectivity problems beforehand.

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