Deadline: April 30, 2018
Microsoft is looking for the next big thing and they know students like you are going to make it. Imagine Cup, Microsoft’s premier international competition for young developers, is your chance to show off your biggest, boldest software solution. Code with purpose and show the world what you’ve got. Microsoft Imagine connects aspiring student developers of all skill levels with the tools, resources, & experiences to turn their innovative ideas into reality!
The next big thing could come from you. Facebook and Twitter started as student projects. Your ideas could be next. The Imagine Cup is here to help you take the first steps. It’s a global contest for the most original student applications, and the winning team will take home up to $100,000 (US).
This competition is the doorway to your success. If you can win here, you can win anywhere. If you’ve got a great idea, assemble a great team and work hard to bring that idea to life. Your project could be on devices all over the world, changing lives and giving people the thrill of seeing the future come to life right before their eyes.
About Imagine Cup
For the past 16 years, the Imagine Cup has been the world’s premier student technology competition. Since 2003, Microsoft has provided a global platform for students to turn their dreams into reality. Students from across the globe build amazing teams to bring their biggest, boldest ideas to life. Working with mentors and industry leaders, they get feedback to further hone and develop their projects.
Imagine Cup National Finals competitions happen in dozens of countries all over the world. Organized by Microsoft subsidiaries in those countries, the National Finals select the best teams from each participating country as they pitch and demo their ideas to experts to vie for a coveted spot at the Imagine Cup World Finals.
All World Finalist teams win an all-expenses paid trip to the World Finals, where they will compete with the best and brightest teams from across the globe for the title of World Champion, up to $100,000 cash prize and the chance to take home the Imagine Cup!
Prizes
- First Place:
- $85,000 USD, to be divided equally among each officially registered member of the Team
- Microsoft Azure Grant
- Remote mentoring session with Satya Nadella
- Second Place:
- $15,000 USD, to be divided equally among each officially registered member of the Team
- Microsoft Azure Grant
- Big Data Award
- Required use of Azure Data + Analytics or IoT
- $15,000 USD, to be divided equally among each officially registered member of the team
- Microsoft Azure Grant
- Artificial Intelligence Award
- Required use of Azure Artificial Intelligence + Cognitive Services
- $15,000 USD, to be divided equally among each officially registered member of the team
- Microsoft Azure Grant
- Mixed Reality Award
- Required use of HoloLens, Virtual Reality or Augmented Reality
- $15,000 USD, to be divided equally among each officially registered member of the team
- Microsoft Azure Grant
Eligibility
You are eligible to enter if you meet the following requirements at time of entry:
- You are at least 16 years of age as of 24 October 2017 and are actively enrolled as a student at an accredited educational institution that grants high-school or college/university (or equivalent) degrees (including home schools) at any time between 24 October 2017 and 31 May 2018; and
- If you are considered a minor in your place of residence, then you should ask your parent’s or legal guardian’s permission prior to submitting an entry into this Competition.
- You are NOT a resident of Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Syria, and the Region of Crimea; and
- U.S. export regulations prohibit the export of goods and services to Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Syria, and the Region of Crimea. Therefore, residents of these countries/regions are not eligible to participate.
- You/your business has not received external funding more than $50,000 USD; and
- You/your business has not used paid employees assistance in creating an Imagine Cup entry at any time between 24 October 2017 and 31 July 2018; and
- You are not an employee or intern of Microsoft Corporation, or an employee of a Microsoft subsidiary, at any time between 24 October 2017 and 31 July 2018; and
- You are not involved in any part of the execution or administration of this Competition; and
- You are not an immediate family member of (parent, sibling, spouse/domestic partner, child) or household member of a Microsoft employee, an employee of a Microsoft subsidiary, or a person involved in any part of the administration and execution of this Competition between 24 October 2017 and 31 July 2018.
- If you have previously competed in an Imagine Cup World Finals event as a World Finalist, you are eligible to enter but any entry submitted must be substantially new, unique, and different from anything you’ve brought to World Finals before.
Entry Requirements
- Up to three (3) eligible students may submit a single entry as a team. It is recommended that each team (or individual if competing alone) enlist the services of a mentor. Mentors may be from academic institutions, not-for-profit organizations, or private companies.
- Team members may come from different academic institutions and from different countries.
- Each team is allowed only one mentor.
- Each competitor may belong to only one team within the competition
Application
- Read the complete rules
- To compete, each team member should create an account and register for the competition.
- Once registered, any one of the team members can create a new team and invite the remaining team members to join. The remaining team members must accept the
Register now and start your 2018 Imagine Cup journey!
For more information, visit Microsoft Imagine Cup.
