Following the launch of its touch smartphone, the Asha 501, Nokia announces a global app developer competition inviting tech minds to come up with their fresh apps for the new affordable device. The participants of the Asha Developer Competition will be competing for a chance to win € 230,000.

Nokia is encouraging the international community of app developers to accept the challenge for three major reasons: experience, fame and glory, of course. The submissions are accepted in four major categories—Music&Entertainment, News&Info, Games, and Utilities&Productivity—through August 2. The company will select winners in each of the category, awarding cash prizes worth €25,000 for 1st place, €15,000 for 2nd place, & €10,000 for 3rd place. There’ll be also three prizes awarded to winners in the special categories, Best Web App, Best New Idea, and Best User Experience.

To foster the development, Nokia will provide a New Nokia Asha 501 smartphone to the first 250 and 100 developers who port an existing or create a new Java app or Web app, respectively. The devices will get distributed starting June 1. The applications are to be created by using Nokia Asha SDK 1.0 or Nokia Asha web app tools 3.0, and to turn the apps into entries, developers should publish them to Nokia Store before entering the contest.

Money is just part of the package the contestants can get. The developers will be also invited to get online tech support, join webinars and training sessions. They will also receive guides for porting from other platforms. As to the winners, their works will be promoted and the code will get certified so that their names will be as widely known as the products they create.

The Nokia Asha 501 smartphone has been created to complement Nokia’s mission of bringing affordable smartphone experience to developing countries. The device will be available at just $99 starting June.