Microsoft Imagine Cup to promote undergrads creativity

COMPETITION: Microsoft has once again opened the doors to students with a passion for creativity and technology with the launch of its fourth annual Imagine Cup competition, the world's premier technology competition for students. The Imagine Cup is a competition designed to help students the world over realize their potential for creativity in technology applications.

The Imagine Cup allows young minds of the world to compete with their peers on a global platform, making critical contacts and lasting friendships, while giving significant exposure to their ideas. The Imagine Cup was first introduced by Microsoft three years ago and soon became the world's premier technology competition for students; enabling them to use their creativity and technological know-how to design software that can potentially make a difference to the planet.

The past three years have seem more than 20,000 students representing over 90 countries, vying for victory in this prestigious competition. This year's competition is designed along six invitational categories; Software Design, Algorithm, IT, Project Hashimi - programming battle, short film and interface designer, Each of these invitational categories will be based on this year's overall theme "Imagine a world where technology enables us to live healthier lives".

Microsoft Sri Lanka will, in parallel, run a national level, competition in the software design category, giving Sri Lankan students a special opportunity to display their skills and creativity. The Sri Lanka Imagine Cup, currently under way is open to individuals and team of up to four members.

This competition too will reflect the overall theme of the international event and is open to any Sri Lankan undergraduate reading for his or her degree at an accredited university.

In order to enter, students must first register on www.thespoke.net. The required elements of the entry are a self created web service, designed on the Microsoft.

The ultimate winner in the Software Design Invitational category at the Global Championship stands the chance of winning a grand cash prize of USD 25,000.