Samsung announced a worldwide developer challenge aimed at driving the development of apps for its Tizen-based Gear 2 smart watch.

The Samsung Gear App Challenge has a prize fund of $1.25 million, including a $100,000 cash price for the overall winner.

Developers wanting to take part in the third app challenge run by Samsung can register apps built using the Gear 2 software development kit (SDK) on the Samsung Apps portal from 8 May.

With Tizen only available on the Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo, as well as a Samsung digital camera, the competition could encourage more developers to build apps for the nascent open source mobile platform.

The South Korean company made a SDK available for the Gear 2 free of charge shortly after the device was unveiled during Mobile World Congress in February.

“This challenge marks the beginning of Samsung’s plan to boost the app ecosystem for the recently unveiled Samsung Gear 2,” said Won-Pyo Hong, president of Samsung Electronics Media Solution Center, who added that the company will continue to “play its part” in the wearable market by offering a range of SDKs for app developers.

The company also plans to run a hackathon and developer day to help developers get a better understanding of the Gear 2 SDK.