Click here for the 2012 Fukuoka Ruby Award Guidelines

A preliminary competition for the Fukuoka Ruby Award will be held in Silicon Valley to recognize outstanding projects that use the programming language Ruby. The developer of the most outstanding product or service, as chosen by a panel of judges including Ruby chief designer Yukihiro “Matz” Matsumoto, will receive the Silicon Valley Ruby Innovator Award and an invitation to the award ceremony for the 2012 Fukuoka Ruby Award Competition, scheduled for March 2012 in Fukuoka City, Japan. The winning product or service will advance to the Final Selection stage of the 2012 Fukuoka Ruby Award Competition.

Main Sponsors:
Fukuoka Ruby Business Hub Promotion Committee, Fukuoka Prefectural Government

Associate Sponsor:
Japan External Trade Organization

Corporate Sponsor:
Engine Yard, Inc.

Organizer:
SunBridge

Partners:
US-Asia Technology Management Center, Stanford University, Stanford Project on Japanese Entrepreneurship (STAJE)

Eligibility:
The Silicon Valley Ruby Innovator Award competition is being held in conjunction with the 2012 Fukuoka Ruby Award Competition. For the Silicon Valley Ruby Innovator Award, applicants must apply by October 17, 2011 and must be available to present at the event to be held in Silicon Valley on November 3, 2011. Eligible projects include products and services developed or completed within the past one year that utilize the features of the Ruby programming language. Products or services that 1) innovate or are inventive, 2) have staying power or are likely to continue into the future, or 3) have already exhibited some measure of success, are preferred.

• Entries may incorporate languages other than Ruby. Exclusive development in Ruby is NOT required.

• Both free and commercial products and services will be considered, but the selection committee must be able to access/view the system.

• Entries that describe systems, business models, or activities considered by the selection committee to be inappropriate or offensive to the public will not be accepted.

Qualification Requirements:
The competition is open to all companies, organizations, and individuals. Corporate and group entries must designate a representative. In the case of collaborative development, entries should be submitted by the representative.

Selection:
Entries will be judged by an award selection committee composed of experts familiar with Ruby who can evaluate the entries on their use of Ruby, inventiveness, and potential benefits to society.
The entry selected to receive the Silicon Valley Ruby Innovator Award at the Silicon Valley event will automatically advance to the Final Selection stage of the 2012 Fukuoka Ruby Award Competition. All other entries will advance to the Preliminary Evaluation stage of the 2012 Fukuoka Ruby Award Competition.

1) Initial Screening
An initial screening of all applications will be conducted based on the application documents,
attachments, and a preview of the system via the Internet. Applicants who successfully pass
the initial screening will receive an invitation to the Silicon Valley event via email no later than
October 21. Other applicants will not be contacted.

2) Silicon Valley Competition
Applicants who successfully pass the Initial Screening (approximately three applicants)
will present their product or service for evaluation on November 3 at MacKenzie Room, Stanford University (475 Via Ortega, Stanford, CA 94305). Entries will be judged by an award selection committee composed of experts familiar with Ruby, including Ruby chief designer Yukihiro “Matz” Matsumoto. Travel to the Silicon Valley competition and related expenses are the responsibility of the applicant.

We may contact applicants during the screening process if we have questions; however, we
cannot respond to inquiries from applicants regarding the screening process.

Entry Fee:
Free

Prizes:
Silicon Valley Ruby Innovator Award constitutes
one of the Fukuoka Ruby Award Competition’s Special Awards described below. The recipient
will receive a trophy and travel expenses for one person to attend the award ceremony for
the main Fukuoka Ruby Award Competition in Fukuoka City, Japan. The recipient of the
Silicon Valley Ruby Innovator Award will also be eligible to receive other awards as part of the 2012
Fukuoka Ruby Award Competition, including the Grand Prize of 1 million yen.

Fukuoka Ruby Award Competition: Description of Awards
1) Grand Prize (One Award)
Certificate of Commendation, Trophy, and 1 Million Yen (approximately $10,000; actual
amount depends on the exchange rate)

2) Outstanding Performance Awards (up to 3 awards)
Certificate of Commendation, Trophy, and 100,000 Yen (approximately $1,000; actual amount
depends on the exchange rate)

3) Fukuoka Innovator Awards* (up to 3 awards)
Certificate of Commendation.
*Eligibility is limited to entities located in Fukuoka.

4) Special Awards (up to 3 awards)
Certificate of Commendation
The Silicon Valley Ruby Innovator Award constitutes one of the Special Awards.

How to Enter the Silicon Valley Competition:
Complete the application form available here, attach any reference or instructional materials, and submit all materials by email (mail to info@myfukuoka.com).

Entry Deadline and Award Schedule for the Silicon Valley Ruby Innovator Award
(All times in Pacific Time):
1) Application Period:
Monday, September 19, 2011 — Monday, October 17, 2011
All entries must arrive by 9:00 AM.

2) Notification of Results:
Monday, October 24, 2011
(Only successful applicants will be notified.)

3) Silicon Valley Competition:
Thursday, November 3, 2011
5:00 PM
Location: MacKenzie Room, Stanford University (475 Via Ortega, Stanford, CA 94305)

4) Fukuoka Ruby Award (Main Award Ceremony):
March 2012
Fukuoka City, Japan (Tentative)

Other Terms and Conditions
By submitting an application, you agree to the following terms and conditions:
1. Applications, attached documents, and other submitted materials cannot be returned.
2. Handwritten materials will not be accepted. Type your application and make sure your sentences are simple, accurate and easy to understand. Be sure to define new terms, abbreviations, and relevant technical terms by adding a footnote to the first usage of any such terms or by including the explanations of all such terms in a list.
3. All submitted materials may be used freely by the organizers for promotional, public relations, or other purposes relevant to the objectives of this award.
4. Issues related to copyright or other intellectual property rights must be resolved prior to application. Should there be any claim of infringement or damages related to submitted concepts or materials, such claims will be the exclusive responsibility of the applicant. The promoters of the award and their affiliates have no responsibility or liability in such cases.
5. Infringement on the intellectual property rights or copyrights of others, falsification of the application and/or related documentation in whole or in part, or other activities of a similar nature will result in the cancellation and forfeiture of any prizes awarded.
6. There is no entry fee, but the applicant is responsible for all expenses related to the application. The promoters are not be responsible for work that is lost or damaged.
7. Personal information on application forms will only be used to communicate with the applicant. Personal information will not be disclosed or provided to any third party unaffiliated with this award without the applicant’s consent. The promoters follow the law concerning the protection and appropriate handling of personal information.

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