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{{Short description|Crowdsourcing company in Indiana, US}}
{{
{{Infobox company
| name = Topcoder, Inc.
| logo =
| vector_logo =
| type =
| genre =
| foundation = April
| founder = Jack Hughes
| location_city = Indianapolis, IN
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| operating_income =
| net_income =
| parent = [[Wipro]]
| subsid =
| owner =
| slogan =
| homepage = {{
| dissolved =
| footnotes =
}}
'''Topcoder''' (formerly TopCoder) is a [[crowdsourcing]] company with
==History==
Topcoder was founded in 2001 by Jack Hughes,
As the community of designers, developers, data scientists, and competitive programmers involved in Topcoder grew, the company started to offer software development services to 3rd party clients, contracting individual community members to work on specific tasks
In an attempt to optimize expenses,
In 2013, Topcoder was acquired by [[Appirio]], and the Topcoder
In 2016, Topcoder, along with Appirio, was acquired by [[Wipro]] as a part of a $
Since the end of 2017, Topcoder has
▲== Topcoder Community ==
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible floatright"
|+
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|-
|2013
|~500 000<ref name=":2" /><ref group="note">In 2013, ~500k registered members was the estimated size of Topcoder community before its merge with ~75k members strong CloudSpokes community. Hence, after the merge the size of resulting community became ~575 000 registered members.</ref> – 600 000<ref name=":21">{{Cite news|url=http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/leaders-in-change-and-innovation-to-keynote-topcoder-open-innovation-summit-1841086.htm|title=Leaders in Change and Innovation to Keynote TopCoder Open Innovation Summit
|-
|2014
|~700 000<ref name=":20">{{Cite news|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/appirio-and-industry-leaders-host-2014-topcoder-open-to-celebrate-how-developers-are-changing-the-world-280765642.html|title=Appirio and Industry Leaders Host 2014 Topcoder Open to Celebrate How Developers Are Changing the World
|-
|2015
|~850 000<ref name=":18">{{Cite news|url=https://hub.appirio.com/news/top-programmers-and-designers-travel-to-compete-in-the-2015-topcoder-open-india-regional-event|title=Top programmers and Designers Travel to Compete in the 2015 Topcoder Open India Regional Event
|-
|2016
|~1 000 000<ref name=":6">{{Cite news|url=https://www.topcoder.com/blog/1-million-members-strong/|title=Topcoder Community: 1 Million Members Strong|date=May 8, 2016|work=Topcoder Blog|access-date=April 4, 2018}}</ref>
|-
|2018
|~1 200 000<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/business/we-are-banking-digital-drive-our-growth-668438.html|title=We are banking on digital to drive our growth|
|-
|2024
|~1 900 000<ref>[https://www.topcoder.com Home | Topcoder]</ref>
|}
Topcoder community is the primary source of the workforce behind all Topcoder projects. It is open and global: anybody, with a few legal restrictions dictated by US laws, and listed in Community Terms, can join and compete, without any financial commitment to Topcoder.
While the majority of community members participate in Topcoder challenges as regular competitors, those who become recognized for their performance, and involvement in community life (via communication in Topcoder forums, attending Topcoder events, etc.), are offered additional roles in the community, which include: copilots (technical coordinators of challenges), problem writers, reviewers, etc.<ref name=":3" /> Since the end of 2014 till the end of 2017, a Community Advisory Board (CAB) was selected from active community members for a one-year term to help improve communications between Topcoder company and its community.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.topcoder.com/blog/the-topcoder-community-advisory-board-is-finally-here/|title=The Topcoder Community Advisory Board is Finally Here!
There are four primary segments of each Topcoder community, open to every member: Design, Development, Data Science, and Competitive Programming.<ref name=":3" /> Also, since the end of 2017, Topcoder, as a part of their Hybrid Crowd offering, creates sub-communities dedicated to specific clients
=== Design ===
Topcoder design community is focused on:<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|url=https://help.topcoder.com/hc/en-us/articles/217481388-Choosing-a-Design-Challenge|title=Choosing a Design Challenge
* '''[[Information architecture|Information Architecture]]'''
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** '''Idea Generation''' – Competitors are asked to develop an idea proposed by the customer, with a written report or visual presentation as deliverables.
* '''[[User interface|UI]]/[[User experience|UX]]/[[Customer experience|CX]] Design'''
**
** '''Design Concept''' – More informal design challenges, where participants should turn client idea into a design, which is not meant to be used for the actual development without further processing.
** '''[[Icon (computing)|Icons]]''' design
** '''Presentation Design''' – [[Infographic
Two
=== Development ===
Software development segment of Topcoder community is focused on:<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://help.topcoder.com/hc/en-us/articles/217481558-Development-Challenge-Types|title=Development Challenge Types
* '''Bug Bash''' – Challenges
* '''Code''' – Generic software development challenges, typically with
* '''First-to-Finish (F2F)''' – Rapid software development challenges with no fixed timeline for the competition phase. The first participant who submits a solution satisfying the specifications wins the only prize. In case of defects in a submission, that competitor is provided with review feedback as soon as possible, and allowed to submit again, with no penalty for the failed submission. Typically, such challenges have a small scope, compared to other challenge types.
* '''Quality Assurance''' – Challenges focused on testing and search
* '''UI Prototype''' – Challenges focused on [[Front and back ends|frontend]] development. Typically, they are reviewed by scorecards paying more attention to the exact match with provided visual design specifications, and include additional phases for final fixes, compared to the regular code challenges.
=== Data
There are several types of data science challenges at Topcoder; typically, they are longer than software development challenges
* '''Marathon Match''' '''(MM)'''<ref name=":8" /> – A week-long algorithmic contest, in which submissions are judged objectively by an automated scoring function that
* '''Data Science First to Finish''' – Algorithmic contests scored by an automated scoring
* '''Data Science Sprint''' – A series of rapid data-science challenges, scored by a manual scoring function, and with no leaderboard.
* '''Data Visualization''' – Subjectively-judged competition that asks to analyze data and propose the best way to visualize them, along with trends and/or peculiarities in data that should be highlighted. The output of such challenges serves as input into design competition that outputs the actual visualizations of the data.
* '''Data Science Ideation''' – A challenge to discover new data
=== Competitive
The Competitive Programming track of Topcoder community rotates around Single Round Matches (SRMs) – timed 1.5
=== Specialized
The following table includes the list of Topcoder sub-communities dedicated to specific technologies and/or clients (within their Hybrid Crowd offering). See {{slink|TopCoder#Notable_Clients_and_Projects}} section for further information on these sub-communities.
{| class="wikitable"
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!Focus
|-
|Blockchain Community<ref name=":10">{{Cite web|url=http://blockchain.topcoder.com/|title=Topcoder Blockchain Community|access-date=April 14, 2018}}</ref><ref name=":11" /><ref name=":12" />
|[[ConsenSys]]
|public
|[[Blockchain]] technology projects, with focus on [[Ethereum]] platform
|-
|Cognitive Community<ref name=":13">{{Cite web|url=https://cognitive.topcoder.com/|title=Topcoder Cognitive Community|website=cognitive.topcoder.com}}</ref><ref name=":14">{{Cite news|url=https://www.topcoder.com/blog/topcoder-and-ibm-partner-to-bring-watson-to-the-topcoder-community/|title=Topcoder and IBM Partner to Bring Watson to the Topcoder Community|date=November 10, 2016|work=Topcoder Blog|access-date=April 8, 2018}}</ref>
|[[IBM]]
|public
|[[Cognitive computing]], with a particular focus on [[Watson (computer)|IBM Watson]] services.
|-
|Veterans Community<ref name=":15">{{Cite web|url=http://veterans.topcoder.com/|title=Topcoder|website=veterans.topcoder.com}}</ref><ref name=":16">{{Cite news|url=https://www.wipro.com/newsroom/press-releases/2017/topcoder-launches-crowdsourcing-community-to-help-us-military-veterans-transition-to-technology-jobs/|title=Topcoder Launches Crowdsourcing Community to Help U.S. Military Veterans Transition to Technology Jobs|date=December 14, 2017|work=Wipro Press Release|access-date=April 8, 2017}}</ref><ref name=":17" />
|Operation Code
|Only for US military veterans
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== Topcoder Open ==
[[Topcoder Open|Topcoder Open (TCO)]] is an annual design, software development, data science and competitive programming championship, organized by Topcoder, and hosted in different venues around the US. Each year, the most successful participants of each competition track included into TCO are selected and invited for a free one-week trip to on-site finals, where they compete for prizes, and also socialize with each other, helping to build community
In addition to the main championship, from 2001 to 2007 Topcoder organized an annual TopCoder Collegiate Challenge tournament, for college students only. Also from 2007 to 2010, a TopCoder High School competition was held.
Since 2015, Topcoder Regional events have been held through the year in different countries.
== Notable
=== ConsenSys ===
In 2017, Topcoder entered into a partnership with [[ConsenSys]], an incubator of [[Ethereum]] projects, to promote the Topcoder Blockchain Community, and provide ConsenSys with design and development support for their [[blockchain]] projects.
=== Eli Lilly and Company ===
It was reported in 2008 that [[Eli Lilly and Company|Eli Lilly and Co.]] would use Topcoder platform to
=== Harvard Medical School ===
In 2013, it was reported that researchers from [[Harvard Medical School]], [[Harvard Business School]], and [[London Business School]] successfully used Topcoder Community to solve complex biological problems.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130207141448.htm|title=Solving big-data bottleneck: Scientists team with business innovators to tackle research hurdles
=== IARPA ===
[[Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity]] organization collaborates with Topcoder to create innovative algorithms for [[Intelligence assessment|intelligence applications]]. From July 2017 to February 2018 it ran the Functional Map of the World challenge to develop deep learning algorithms capable of scanning and identifying in satellite imagery different classes of objects, such as airports, schools, oil wells, shipyards, or ports .<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.c4isrnet.com/intel-geoint/2018/09/18/differentiating-a-port-from-a-shipyard-is-a-new-kind-of-problem-for-ai/|title=Differentiating a port from a shipyard is a new kind of problem for AI|last=Cebul|first=Daniel|date=September 18, 2018|website=C4ISRNET|access-date=September 18, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.executivegov.com/2018/09/iarpa-lockheed-researchers-prepare-to-retrain-algorithms-for-government-use/|title=IARPA, Lockheed researchers prepare to retrain algorithms for government use|last=Jackson|first=Monica|date=September 19, 2018|work=ExecutiveGov|access-date=September 20, 2018}}</ref> In the ongoing Mercury challenge it aims to create [[Artificial intelligence|AI methods]] for automated prediction of critical events, involving military action, non-violent civil unrest, and infectious diseases in Middle East.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.topcoder.com/mercury-challenge|title=Mercury Challenge Data Science Match|website=Topcoder|access-date=September 18, 2018}}</ref>
=== IBM ===
Since 2016 [[IBM]] has been collaborating with Topcoder to promote their cloud platform, [[IBM cloud computing|IBM Cloud]], and [[Watson (computer)|IBM Watson]] services, in particular.
=== NASA ===
In 2010, [[NASA]] asked the Topcoder community to optimize the contents of medical kits for future human space exploration missions.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.solardaily.com/reports/TopCoder_Community_Refines_Medical_Kits_For_Future_NASA_Space_Missions_999.html|title=TopCoder Community Refines Medical Kits For Future NASA Space Missions
In 2013, NASA Tournament Lab cooperated with Topcoder to run data-science challenges targeting to improve computer vision algorithms for their [[Robonaut|Robonaut 2]] humanoid robot;<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/innovations/post/nasa-and-topcoder-to-issue-robonaut-2-sight-challenge/2013/03/29/5e513c16-989a-11e2-814b-063623d80a60_blog.html|title=NASA and TopCoder to issue Robonaut 2 "sight" challenge|last=Kolawole|first=Emi|date=March 29, 2013|
In another challenge, Topcoder community helped NASA and [[National Geographic]]'s explorer [https://www.nationalgeographic.org/find-explorers/explorers/4642934E/albert-lin Albert Lin] to develop an algorithm to identify human-built structures in [[Genghis Khan]]'s homeland.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/topcoder-teams-with-nasa-and-national-geographic-emerging-explorer-albert-lin-to-create-a-powerful-algorithm-that-identifies-human-built-structures-in-genghis-khans-homeland-223508431.html|title=TopCoder Teams with NASA and National Geographic Emerging Explorer Albert Lin to Create a Powerful Algorithm that Identifies Human-Built Structures in Genghis Khan's Homeland|date=September 12, 2013|work=CISION. PR NewsWire|access-date=April 6, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://chei.ucsd.edu/2013/09/13/calit2-research-scientist-albert-lin-teams-with-topcoder-nasa/|title=Calit2 Research Scientist Albert Lin Teams with TopCoder, NASA|last=Ramsey|first=Doug|date=September 13, 2013|work=CHEI|access-date=April 10, 2018}}</ref>
In 2014, Asteroid Data Hunter, Asteroid Tracker, and many other challenges were carried on to develop better algorithms for asteroids detection in space images.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nasa.gov/content/asteroid-data-hunter-challenge-0|title=Asteroid Data Hunter Challenge|date=March 17, 2014|work=NASA|access-date=April 6, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://sservi.nasa.gov/articles/asteroid-data-hunter-app/|title=Asteroid Data Hunter App|work=Solar System Exploration Research. Virtual Institute.|access-date=April 6, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.space.com/25029-nasa-dangerous-asteroid-contest-prizes.html|title=NASA Offers Cash Prizes for Help Hunting Dangerous Asteroids|last=Wall|first=Mike|date=March 11, 2014|work=Space.com|access-date=April 6, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/mar/10/nasa-asteroids-data-hunter-dinosaurs-sxsw|title=Nasa Asteroid Data Hunter contest hopes humans will outsmart dinosaurs|last=Dredge|first=Stuart|work=The Guardian|access-date=April 6, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.fedscoop.com/nasa-topcoder-challenge/|title=NASA taps massive coding community for deep space solutions|last=Otto|first=Greg|date=August 12, 2014|work=FedScoop|access-date=April 6, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/with-help-from-topcoder-nasa-is-contestsourcing-its-deepest-problems/|title=NASA Is Contest-Sourcing Solutions to Its Deepest Problems|last=Teitel|first=Amy Shira|date=August 10, 2014|work=Motherboard|access-date=April 6, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.aticourses.com/blog/index.php/2014/10/16/name-nasanew-free-flying-robot-and-win-1000/|title=Name NASA New Free-Flying Robot and Win $1,000!|date=October 16, 2014|work=Applied Technology Institute|access-date=April 6, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.fastcompany.com/3034090/nasa-plans-to-deploy-these-crowdsourced-projects-in-space|title=NASA Plans To Deploy These Crowdsourcing Projects In Space|date=July 8, 2014|work=Fast Company. Fast Feed.|access-date=April 6, 2018}}</ref>
In 2015 the Topcoder Data Science community was challenged by NASA, [[QuakeFinder|Quakefinder]], [[Harvard innovation lab|Harvard Crowd Innovation Lab]], and [[Amazon Web Services]], to come up with an algorithm that finds correlations between ultra-low frequency electromagnetic signals emanating from the earth, and subsequent moderate and large earthquakes<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.topcoder.com/blog/make-a-difference-win-prizes-in-nasas-quest-for-quakes/|title=Make a Difference, Win Prizes in NASA's Quest for Quakes|last=|first=|date=July 22, 2015|work=Topcoder Blog|access-date=April 6, 2018|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://phys.org/news/2015-07-nasa-hosts-quest-quakes.html|title=NASA hosts "Quest for Quakes" data challenge|last=|first=|date=July 27, 2015|work=Phys.org|access-date=April 6, 2018|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=}}</ref>.▼
▲In 2015, the Topcoder Data Science community was challenged by NASA, [[QuakeFinder|Quakefinder]], [[Harvard innovation lab|Harvard Crowd Innovation Lab]], and [[Amazon Web Services]], to come up with an algorithm that finds correlations between ultra-low frequency electromagnetic signals emanating from the earth, and subsequent moderate and large earthquakes
In 2017 NASA, HeroX, and Topcoder announced a challege to optimize their computational-intensive software solution for fluid dynamics, FUN3D,<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.i-programmer.info/news/204-challenges/10746-nasa-high-performance-fast-computing-challenge.html|title=NASA High Performance Fast Computing Challenge|last=Gee|first=Sue|date=May 8, 2017|work=I Programmer|access-date=April 6, 2018|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.universetoday.com/135414/faster-supercomputer-nasa-announces-high-performance-fast-computing-challenge/|title=Faster Supercomputer! NASA Announces The High Performance Fast Computing Challenge|last=Williams|first=Matt|date=May 5, 2017|work=Universe Today. Space and Astronomy News|access-date=April 6, 2018|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.space.com/36755-nasa-supercomputer-software-coding-contest.html|title=NASA Wants Your Code! Boost Supercomputer Software Speed and Win $55,000|last=O'Neill|first=Ian|date=May 8, 2017|work=Space.com|access-date=April 6, 2018|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nasa.gov/aero/nasa-issues-a-challenge-to-speed-up-its-supercomputer-code|title=NASA Issues a Challenge to Speed Up Its Supercomputer Code|last=|first=|date=October 1, 2014|work=NASA|access-date=April 6, 2014|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://silvertonconsulting.com/blog/2017/05/07/know-fortran-optimize-nasa-code-make-money/#sthash.ze5BiPBY.dpbs|title=Know Fortran, optimize NASA code, make money|last=|first=|date=May 7, 2017|work=Silverton Consulting Blog|access-date=April 6, 2018|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=}}</ref> which was cancelled later due to a high number of applicants (more than 1,800) during the registration, coupled with concerns about control over the public distribution of the software to optimize.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.herox.com/HPFCC/updates|title=NASA Cancels its High Performance Fast Computing Challenge|last=Murtha|first=Maureen|date=June 16, 2017|work=NASA Tournament Lab|access-date=April 6, 2018|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=}}</ref>▼
▲In 2017, NASA, HeroX, and Topcoder announced a
In 2018, a data science challenge is running currently to develop better algorithms for tracking of [[Radio-frequency identification|RFID]]-tagged items within the [[International Space Station]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-international-space-station-rfid-localization-challenge|title=NASA International Space Station RFID Localization Challenge|date=September 27, 2018|website=NASA|access-date=September 29, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://solutions.topcoder.com/nasa-iss-rfid-localization|title=NASA International Space Station RFID Localization Challenge|website=Topcoder|access-date=September 28, 2018}}</ref>
=== Topcoder Veterans Community ===
At the end of 2017 Topcoder, together with Operation Code [[Nonprofit organization|non-profit charity]], announced the launch of Topcoder Veterans Community, that will focus on helping US military veterans to make their way into tech careers in software development via education programs and paid
== See also ==<!-- PLEASE RESPECT ALPHABETICAL ORDER -->
* [[ACM International Collegiate Programming Contest]]
* [[
* [[
* [[Facebook Hacker Cup]]
* [[Google Code Jam]]
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* [[ICFP Programming Contest]]
* [[Internet Problem Solving Contest]]
* [[Kaggle]]▼
* [[Online judge]]
* [[SPOJ]]
* [[UVa Online Judge]]
▲* [[Kaggle]]
==
{{reflist|group=note}}
==
{{reflist}}
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}}
[[Category:
[[Category:Companies established in 2001]]
[[Category:Programming contests]]
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