Developers have a new incentive to become members of Intel's AppUp Developer Program. Intel Capital has announced a fund of $100 Million for investment in companies and developers who have ideas for innovative apps. 

The new fund, announced at last week's Intel Capital Global Summit will invest in software tools and services companies producing infrastructure, middleware, innovative applications, and digital content for mobile and PC devices and distributed via the Intel AppUp (SM) Center, the app store launched by Intel in September 2010.

The AppUp store targets Windows and MeeGo devices and  to sell apps through it you first need to register (free) in the AppUp Developer Program and then download the SDK, which is available for MeeGo and for Windows - as a Visual Studio plug-in for C/C++ and .NET, and Eclipse plug-in Java. The Intel AppUp Encapsulator tool is available for packaging Adobe AIR apps for AppUp and there's a beta SDK for is packaging Web/HTML5 apps for MeeGo and Windows.Having created your app you can submit it for validation to be included as a free or paid for app in the store.

So where does the funding fit in?

The new Intel Capital AppUp(SM) Fund

will be invested globally over two to three years in early and mid-to-late stage equity deals. While the investments will cover multiple technologies and devices, key focus areas include cross-platform technologies, such as HTML5, as well as experiences designed specifically for Ultrabooks.

The first two beneficiaries, mobile marketing firm Urban Airship; and German operating system vendor and tablet device developer 4tiitoo, have already been announced and companies that are already registered in the AppUp Developer Program and want to be considered are invited to submit their proposals for consideration to Intel Capital.

There are other opportunities. If you are not seeking business equity but just want funding to develop a promising app you can enrol in the Accelerator - where you can be awarded up to $25,000.

Finally there's a developer challenge that uses the Intel AppUp Encapsulator. Whereas last year's AppUp contest had big bucks as prizes, this year's winners will win a "super-slim Ultrabook device valued at up to $1,500 USD". There are five to be won in the following categories:

• Best Web App for Education
• Best Web App for Play
• Best Web App for Productivity
• Best Web App for Travel
• Most Creative Web App

In addition, the first 200 Web apps that are entered in this competition and pass validation will win $250. However, the competition, which runs to January 30, 2012 launched at the end of September, 2011 and so this opportunity may already have passed.

More Information:

Intel Capital AppUp(SM) Fund

Intel AppUp(SM) developer program: Accelerator

Intel AppUpSM developer challenge: Web Apps Edition

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