We came to the competition with a very simple application and then got to the World Wide Final. I did not expect that, but I believed we were worth that place in the top 3 because I believed the judges must have seen what we were trying to achieve: we were trying to make our phones handier and make life simpler; we did not try to just showcase technology. Then I arrived in Russia, super proud of our project. I prepared my presentation before all the judges, not following the scoring criteria, but everything we have imagined on the first day we started the project. Those might not be so innovative or mind-blowing to seize the first prize, but those were the true “value” we want to give people, and I believed those were also what we were all proud of. And I presented almost perfectly (in my opinion only, and comparing to my past presentations) without having to write any notes.
I knew we might not win because we focused more on providing people the best experience with every current technology available at the current time, not creating some futuristic tech like many other participating projects. But I also strongly believed that we could win, if we could make the judges saw what we saw: we did not make the technology or the only app using the technology, we made the app using the technology in the most efficient and thoughtful way.
That was how we won the competition. That was how Saint Petersburg became a new milestone of my life!