Topcoder is a global network and crowdsourcing platform that makes it easier for businesses to find developers, designers and data scientists who can build technology solutions and show off their skills.
The process is simple: companies go to Topcoder with programming requests and Topcoder creates crowdsourcing challenges that let their community of developers demonstrate what they can do.
The size and scope of challenges can vary – some are exploratory and open-ended, others are very task-based and specific. When developers create a winning solution, they win prize money, and the businesses get the solutions they need.
Topcoder was launched in 2001 using the development tools of the Firefox browser, but switched to Google Chrome in 2008. The Topcoder team believed that Chrome is better for ensuring the speed necessary for these projects.
According to Topcoder, the tool generates over 7,000 crowdsourcing challenger per year, and the developer community has made over USD 80 million until today.