SYDNEY, April 23, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Freelancer.com, the world's #1 outsourcing marketplace for small business, today announced an API contest with prizes totalling in excess of US$30,000.

Unveiled yesterday, the FreelancerAPI is the world's first API for tasking humans from software. This API provides a sophisticated programming interface for humans, for use by software. Allowing software, for the first time ever, to send complex tasks such as real engineering or problem solving to humans, retrieve the results and pay for the completed work.

The Build On Our API To Win $10,000 contest will run from April 22nd to July 22nd and be open to contestants from across the globe. FreelancerAPI provides the world's first programming interface for tasking humans to perform complex tasks, said Matt Barrie, Chief Executive of Freelancer.com. The possibilities with this API are endless. This contest will deliver applications never thought possible before now man and machines can work seamlessly together through software.

With over 1.5 million users and over 660,000 projects to date, we're the largest crowdsourcing website in the world, continued Barrie. The diversity of the work that is being done on our site is staggering, and I expect to see that reflected in the creativity and innovation of the entries!

The grand prize for the competition is US$10,000 and US$5,000 will be awarded in four separate categories: Most Innovative, Best Toolkit or Library, Best Platform Port or Plug-In and Best Use of Automation. Additionally, runners up in each category will receive an Apple iPad bringing the total value of contest winning to over US$30,000.

Access to FreelancerAPI and contest details is available now at http://www.freelancer.com by clicking on the API link.

Awards Breakdown Grand Prize US$10,000 and Grand Master Programmer Insignia Most Innovative US$5,000 and Master Programmer Insignia Best Toolkit or Library US$5,000 and Master Programming Insignia Best Platform Port or Plugin US$5,000 and Master Programming Insignia Best Use of Automation US$5,000 and Master Programming Insignia Runners Up Apple iPad 16GB WiFi + 3G (4 prizes) and Specialist Insignia 10th to 20th Place Freelancer T-Shirts Visit Freelancer.com at: http://www.freelancer.com See what our users have to say about us here: http://www.freelancer.com/quotes

About Freelancer

Freelancer.com is a global marketplace for online and freelance jobs where businesses connect with independent service providers and freelancers to outsource their work. Freelancer.com connects over 1.5 million employers and freelancers globally from over 234 countries regions. Through our website, employers can hire freelancers to do work in areas such as software, writing, data entry and design right through to engineering and the sciences, sales and marketing, and accounting legal services. Freelancer is the leader in the micro-outsourcing market, with the average job size being under US$200. This is extremely cost effective for small businesses, which often need a wide variety of jobs to be done, but cannot justify the expense of hiring full time.

For more information, contact: Chris O'Brien Communications Manager URL http://www.freelancer.com Email chris@freelancer.com

SOURCE: Freelancer.com

CONTACT: Chris OBrien Communications Manager of Freelancer.com,chris@freelancer.com