Team SYTECH, a group of four students from Iasi, Romania, has won the first place in Microsoft's Imagine Cup 2009 competition for Software Design. When Microsoft initially debuted the Imagine Cup competition, Software Design was the sole category available, and to this day it remains the most coveted award. SYTECH won the first prize with a project dubbed UpCity, a collaborative platform designed to bridge the gap between citizens and government agencies. According to SYTECH, the team is already negotiating with the Local Council in Iasi to implement their solution.

“There are absolutely no words to describe what we’re feeling right now. Thank you everyone,” said SYTECH's Adrian Buzgar after the winning team for Software Design was announced. “The project will be developed for the city hall of our city at the end of this month. Then we’re going to try to build a company.”

For Software design second place went to Russia's Vital Lab, while Brazil's Virtual Dreams was the bronze winner. In addition South Korea’s Team Wafree grabbed the first place in the Embedded Development category, with Brazil’s Team LEVV It winning the Game Development challenge. Microsoft revealed that in excess of 300,000 students from over 100 markets around the world signed up for the competition this year. The finals, which took place in Cairo, Egypt, saw no less than 444 students attempt to win in the nine categories of the competition.

“The creativity and imagination that students poured into their projects this year was incredible,” revealed Joe Wilson, senior director of Academic Initiatives, Developer and Platform Evangelism Division at Microsoft. “Many of these projects have the potential to have a serious impact on how we address society’s most pressing issues. We hope that all of the students who participated this year will continue their pursuit of creating technology in the service of making the world a better place.”

Here is a list with all 2009 Imagine Cup winners:

Software Design
First place: Romania, SYTECH
Second place: Russia, Vital Lab
Third place: Brazil, Virtual Dreams


Embedded Development
First place: Korea, Wafree
Second place: China, iSee
Third place: Ukraine, Intellectronics


Game Development
First place: Brazil, LEVV It
Second place: United States, Epsylon Games
Third place: United Kingdom, Sanquine Labs


IT Challenge
First place: Romania, Cosmin Ilie
Second place: China, Wu Chang
Third place: Bolivia, Miklos Cari Sivila



Robotics & Algorithm
First place: Czech Republic, Lukas Perutka
Second place: Canada, Byron Knoll
Third place: China, Lin Fuming


MashUp
First place: United States, CURIOUS
Second place: Poland, Monastery of Innovations
Third place: Brazil, Virtual Dreams


Photography
First place: Croatia, Team Voodoo Delirium
Second place: Singapore, Woolgathering
Third place: Japan, Terada


Short Film
First place: United Kingdom, Fulham Four
Second place: India, ChennaiCoolers
Third place: Ukraine, Just4Fun


Design
First place: Brazil, Willburn
Second place: United States, eXchangeFun
Third place: France, Paindepices

2009 Awards
Unlimited Potential MultiPoint Education Award
First place: India, Trailblazers


Unlimited Potential Design for Development Award
First place: Malaysia, COSMIC
Second place: China, Unique Studio
Third place: Malaysia, Capricorn


Interoperability Award
First place: Brazil, Proativa Teams

Second place: Poland, Fteams
Third place: Jordan, ECRAM

Accessibility Award
First place: Saudi Arabia, ATST

Second place: Mexico, Ignis Nova
Honorable Mention(s): Jordan, ECRAM; United States, TeleWeb; China, Isee; Belgium, PSA

Accessible Design Award
United States, eXchangeFun

Tablet Accessibility Award
First place: United States, Auratech
Second place: Brazil, IC-Unicamp

Parallel Computing Award
First place: India, Biollel


H.E. Mrs. Suzanne Mubarak Special Award
First place: Poland, kAMUflage
Second place: Egypt, Big Buddy
Third place: France, WikiChildProtect

Windows Mobile Award Winners
Croatia, Team Explorer
Indonesia, Big Bang
Brazil, Virtual Dreams


Live Services Award
First place: France, Help'Aged
Second place: Serbia, BrainWave