Digital map maker NAVTEQ announced the addition of eight new sponsors to its location-based services competition, the Global LBS Challenge. Microsoft, Intel, Digital Globe, Alcatel-Lucent, Atlas CT, Imagination Technologies and Mobile Distillery are joining previously announced sponsors HTC, Blackberry, deCarta, DeviceAnywhere and Tanla.

In total these sponsors are contributing to a prize pool valued at over $10 million, mostly made of professional licenses (maps, geospatial platforms, software testing tools, etc).

This year NAVTEQ decided to widely open the competition beyond the devices offered by the sponsors. As a result, iPhone developers have already submitted quite a large number of applications said a source at NAVTEQ. Submissions for the EMEA edition of the challenge are opened until November 27.