New Delhi [India], January 24 (ANI/BusinessWire India): The International Cricket Council (ICC) along with its official fintech infrastructure partner and Modern Money Movement platform - NIUM, recently announced the launch of "Next In", a global hackathon open to all cricket-loving technologists. The hackathon invites and challenges tech-savvy fans to create solutions that improve and enhance the digital cricket fan experience.



A first for the ICC, "Next In" asks technologists to combine their passion for cricket with their love for innovation. Entries should explore ground-breaking ways to engage younger cricket fans and should merge digital tools to identify solutions to the challenges that cricket fans face.



The initiative drives deeper fan engagement and is in line with ICC's global growth strategy of bringing fans closer to the game. The themes of the hackathon are based on immersive technologies such as Web3, Metaverse, Fintech and Virtual Reality (VR) as these technologies can drive changes in how fans experience cricket. It is a global opportunity for communities of sports and technology innovators to create new and improved fan engagement experiences for the global game of cricket.



Registrations to be a part of the hackathon are open and can be accessed at www.icc-cricket.com/hackathon. Interested tech enthusiasts need to register for the hackathon and submit their ideas by the 18th of February, 2023. A shortlist of teams will be invited to build and present their concepts and creations to a panel of prestigious judges at an exclusive event in March 2023 in Bangalore, India. Winners will receive cash prizes worth US$10,000 among other rewards such as tickets to the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 and exclusive ICC Merchandise.



ICC Head of Digital, Finn Bradshaw said, "The best fan engagement ideas for the future of our sport will come from our passionate fans. The "Next In" Hackathon provides a global showcase for innovation from our technology community. The ICC is proud to continue these tech-led fan engagement initiatives with NIUM and we look forward to seeing what digital experiences our fans dream up."

NIUM Senior Vice President and Head of Global Marketing and Communications, Jeremiah Glodoveza said, "NIUM believes deeply in helping build a better tomorrow in finance, sport, and technology. The Future Makers Hackathon celebrates global innovation, and we are beyond excited to see what the cricket-loving technologists bring to life."



Hackathon Ambassador Dinesh Karthik said, "I am delighted to be a part of the "Next In" Hackathon which will play an important role in cricket continuing to innovate through the participation of fans. As we venture into a new era of internet technology, I anticipate some truly ground-breaking ideas for us to judge."



Hackathons have always been one of the best ways to drive innovation and creativity in various industries as they encourage participants to think 'out of the box'. As technical advancements have always been an inseparable part of the game of cricket, the 'Next In' hackathon could lay down the foundation stone for fostering innovation in the game, for the coming years.



ICC & NIUM's execution partner for the global three-phase initiative is Hack2skill. Contact - nextin-support@hack2skill.com

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