Registration for participation in UniCredit AppChallenge will be possible until 20 May 2014. The competition is open to mobile or internet applications developers, creative officers in digital studios and freelancers whose vision extends to the financial sector’s future.

The first two shortlisted candidates will each get half of the awarded sum of 7000 BGN and the winner will be awarded a pilot testing of his project in UniCredit Bulbank as well as a visit for two in UniCredit Innovation Lab in Milan, Italy. Special awards – the new Tablet HP Elite Pad 900 and Samsung Galaxy S5 models - will be provided by our partners from HP and Samsung.

„There has been a considerable change in the manner in which business has been done in recent years. We are about to witness many more changes. The only way to be leaders in the next 50 years is to invest in innovation which will bring us closer to our clients”, said Levon Hampartzoumian, who opened the new season of UniCredit App Challenge 2.0, a national competition for mobile and web applications for bank services.

According to HP’s General Manager Iravan Hira, who was a special guest and speaker at the event, HP considers mobile phones as universal devices capable of storing not only our wallets, but also our ID cards, etc. “There are technologies being developed, which will allow for the physical self-destruction of mobile phones in case they get lost or stolen, for example. The world is before you. Google and Apple are alive because they are platforms which are optimally open to people like you who could improve them and thus contribute for the world’s development”, Mr. Hira addressed the audience.

„There are a little more than 7 billion people on this planet and 5.1 billion mobile phones, of which 50% are smartphones now. Another interesting fact is that against these figures the number of toothbrushes is only 4.2 billion”, said Tsvetanka Mincheva, Head of Retail Banking and member of the Management Board of UniCredit Bulbank. According to the statistics, 45% of all photographs ever taken were taken in the course of the last 10 days, she added. “Innovations enter our life amazingly fast. We see this in the banking sector. Eight years were needed in order to provide online banking to 40 000 customers in Bulgaria, while the mobile application reached the same number of customers four times faster - only in two years.”

Tsvetanka Mincheva offered some interesting statistics about the channels used by customers for work and communication with the bank. Surprisingly or not, more than ¾ of this communication takes place outside traditional branches, although their role remains highly important. 7% of the communication with the bank’s customers takes place over the phone, 10% - through the webpage, 21% in the various branches, 28% via ATMs and 34% of the communication is via mobile or online banking.

Developers of mobile and web applications may participate in the UniCredit App Challenge competition in the period 16 April – 10 June 2014. Preliminary registration for participation is already possible on the website. On 15.05.2014 the candidates registered will be invited to a special workshop where they will be able to learn more about the bank’s processes and to get answers to the questions they’ve encountered in the course of their work.

Applications for participation in the workshop may be made in advance at bqq/dibmmfohfAvojdsfejuhspvq/ch/

The applications to be developed by the participants in the competition may be in one of the following fields in the financial sector:

• Improving customer service and providing possibilities for getting immediate feedback;

• Enhancing financial capability, educational information;

• Facilitating the clients‘ access to the bank employees;

• Games and entertainment.

A jury consisting of proven professionals in the field of the mobile and web technologies, telecommunications, media and finance will evaluate each participant and his/her innovative financial application. Chairman of the jury is the Chief Executive Officer of UniCredit Bulbank Levon Hampartzoumian. The five best developers or teams will present their applications before the jury at a special event on 17 June 2014.

UniCredit Bulbank FOR innovations:

UniCredit Bulbank follows consistent policy for development and implementation of innovations in favour of the client. In 2014 the Bank celebrates its 50th anniversary and goes on with working in this direction.

The most significant internationally recognized project of the Bank in the field of the new technologies is the opening of the first Branch of the Future for the region of the Central and Eastern Europe. The Bank encourages the creative approach of the young people to the innovations through the competition UniCredit App Challenge. The clients of UniCredit Bulbank use cutting edge mobile banking, as well as full range of contactless payments cards. The Bank wins awards for its achievements in the fields of innovations and development of new technologies.

More information for clients:

UniCredit Bulbank, Call Centre

Phone: 0700 1 84 84

More information for media:

UniCredit Bulbank, Identity & Communications Department

Viktoria Blajeva, Phone: + 359 2 9264 993, wjlj/ebwjepwbAvojdsfejuhspvq/ch

Ekaterina Ancheva, Phone: + 359 2 9264 963, flbufsjob/bodifwbAvojdsfejuhspvq/ch

Magdalena Ivanova, Phone: + 359 2 9232 528, nbhebmfob/jwbopwbAvojdsfejuhspvq/ch