No less than six student teams will take part in the 2007 Imagine Cup Innovation Accelerator, an event sponsored by Microsoft and BT. Via the 2007 Imagine Cup Innovation Accelerator, the teams will be guided into materializing their ideas into products. The six student teams are the finalists of the 2006 Microsoft Imagine Cup Software Design Competition with the theme: "Imagine a world where technology enables us to live healthier lives." Through the 2007 Imagine Cup Innovation Accelerator, Microsoft and BT will make an intensive technical and business training workshop available to the students. Microsoft revealed that the final concepts will be showcased at a reception at the BT Tower in London on Jan. 26, 2007.

"These outstanding student developers are poised to shape the future of software and information technology with their Imagine Cup projects," said Sanjay Parthasarathy, corporate vice president of the Developer & Platform Evangelism Group at Microsoft. "In the Innovation Accelerator program, we help the students combine their technical skills with practical know-how so that they can create a business plan, attract investors and launch a successful product."

This year's teams number 21 students from Universities from Brazil, China, Croatia, Germany, Italy and Norway. The 2007 Imagine Cup Innovation Accelerator is a prize awarded by Microsoft and BT to the best software design teams that emerge as the finalists of the Microsoft Imagine Cup.

"The Innovation Accelerator is a tremendous showcase for the creativity, energy and potential of today's young people to use technology in the service of human needs," said Sinclair Stockman, chief science officer at BT. "The teams participating in this event are setting an example not only for those who might be interested in becoming technology innovators, but anyone who might want to have a positive impact on their community and the world. We are very pleased to co-sponsor this event with Microsoft."