14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has just announced the winners of its Imagine Cup Grants program, which were finalists at the Imagine Cup 2011 Worldwide Finals, and also unveiled plans to continue the competition this year with the Imagine Cup 2012.
The competition is in its tenth year. This anniversary edition will be celebrated at the Worldwide Finals in Sydney, Australia, July 6–10.
All students ages 16 and older are eligible to register and can compete. They should head over to the Imagine Cup website to learn more on the Imagine Cup 2012 competition.
“In addition to the Software Design and Game Design: Xbox and Windows competitions, categories include Windows Phone Challenge, Windows Azure Challenge, IT Challenge, Windows Metro App Style Challenge and Kinect Fun Labs Challenge,” Microsoft announced.
The company also notes that there have been over 350,000 students from 183 countries registered in the competition last year.
2011 was the first year of the Imagine Cup Grants program, a three-year, $3 million competitive grant program destined at student technology and social entrepreneurs.
The Imagine Cup 2011 Worldwide Finals is a global competition that has been around for 10 years now, which offers students the possibility to use technology to solve some of the world’s toughest problems.
Through the Imagine Cup Grants program, Microsoft is trying to offer opportunities for the young through helping them create a business or nonprofit so that the world could benefit from their ideas.
The grant packages have to offer $75,000 (U.S.) for each team, along with software, cloud computing services, support, premium Microsoft BizSpark account benefits, as well as access to local resources.
Moreover, Microsoft will connect recipients with investors, business partners and nongovernmental organization partners.
“The Imagine Cup Grants program showcases young people’s ingenuity, entrepreneurial passion and real potential to solve tough real-world problems,” said Brad Smith, executive vice president, Legal and Corporate Affairs, Microsoft.
“Today’s young people will become tomorrow’s entrepreneurs, leaders and innovators and will build a better future for all of us if we give them the right opportunities.”
Microsoft announced the following Imagine Cup Grants Award Winners: - Team Apptenders, Croatia. Team members: Ivan Antonic, Ivan Borko, Karmela Bresan and Dominik Tomicevic. - Team Falcon Dev, Ecuador. Team members: José Vicente Anilema Guadalupe, Gerardo Francisco Pérez Layedra, Henry Javier Paca Quinaluiza and Juan José Morales Ruiz. - Team OaSys, Jordan. Team members: Hani AbuHuwaij, Monir Abu Hilal, Mohammad Azzam, Mohammad Saleh and Yousef Wadi. - Team Lifelens, United States. Team members: Tristan Gibeau, Cy Khormaee, Wilson To, Jason Wakizaka and Helena Xu.