Winners off to Australia for world competition:

Moratuwa University rides the victory cloud at Microsoft Imagine Cup 2012

Team V360 from the Moratuwa University, emerged victorious at the Microsoft Imagine Cup 2012 competition. Held at the Sri Lanka Institute for Information Technology (SLIIT) Malabe on April 27, Microsoft Imagine Cup is the premier global student technology competition, where student innovators around the world use their creativity and the power of technology, to build ground-breaking solutions that transform the world we live in.

The V360 team which won for their project ‘Back2Earth’, was selected from 6 semi finalists who made their presentations to an elite team of judges comprising of Greg Young - CEO of Sri Lanka Telecom, Faiq Fasiz - Executive Vice President of Millennium Information Technologies, Padman De Silva, Chief Executive Officer, MS Technologies and Imran Vilcasim - EPG Director of Microsoft Sri Lanka.

Thurupathan Vijayakumar, Malin De Silva and Rukshan Lakshitha Dangalle of the V360 Team won for their technology solution to ‘aid and support’ the progress of achieving the 7th Millennium Development Goal through a one-of-a-kind interactive experience to create awareness and enthusiasm amongst public, by educating and actively engaging them in contributing to Environmental Sustainability.

Teams CR Coderzfrom Informatics Institute of Technology won 1st runner up for their project ‘Value Live’ while Team ‘Sharks’ also from the Moratuwa University came 2nd runner up for their project ‘v Learn'. Team Invictus from the Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka and teams ‘Dot’ and ‘Casper Creations’ from the Informatics Institute of Technology walked away with the ‘finalist’ awards.

The judges of the national competition said that the projects submitted were well thought out and executed, and that the final selection was a difficult task. This year, over 700 students from 15 higher education institutes, from both state as well as the private sector took part in the national competition. The two teams that were named runners up and the winning team, received awards from Microsoft Sri Lanka and the winners will head to Australia to participate in the international Imagine Cup 2012 held in July this year.

Microsoft Sri Lanka, who strongly believes in being an organisation of value to the nation, is one of the largest contributors towards uplifting education in Sri Lanka and was instrumental in introducing the Software for the 21st Century program, which allows university students access to latest Microsoft software free of charge. Through Imagine Cup, Microsoft creates a stage to apply what they learn at lecture rooms to real world problems and develop skills that will power their futures.

With programs designed to spur creativity and untapped potential of students engaged in tertiary education, the company's aims to provide Sri Lankan students the opportunity to develop 21st century skills, launch their careers, take their first steps as entrepreneurs, and gain invaluable experience in cross-cultural collaboration while giving our local talent the chance to shine in the global arena. Imagine Cup which was first introduced to Sri Lanka in 2005 has been instrumental in giving vast exposure to higher education students by developing their technical and presentation skills and providing them the impetus to innovate projects that can today compete on the international playing field.

For this year's national competition winners, their victory is even more significant as they will participate in the International Imagine Cup 2012 in Australia even as Imagine Cup celebrates its 10th Year Anniversary of touching students’ lives across the world. The International Imagine Cup Competition, which selects the overall winner has introduced a competitive grants programme, which makes all world finalist teams eligible to apply for a grant. The finalists must meet several criteria in order for them to be eligible to win the grant. Each team who is awarded the grant will receive a cash grant estimated between US $ 75,000 and US $ 100,000 depending on the team's business plan and project scope.

Apart from the cash grant they will also receive software to support the implementation of their solution along with mentorship by a Microsoft representative in the winners country or region. Introductions to potential funders and partners and support from Microsoft local partners, access to Microsoft resources including Microsoft Innovation Centers, premium BizSpark benefits, time and support from Microsoft employees and product groups are also some of the benefits that would become available to the winning teams.

The Imagine Cup Grants Program, which is a three-year, US $3 million competitive program, is to help Imagine Cup participants to take their ideas and their projects and transform them into a business or nonprofit that can bring the benefit of their technology to the communities that need it most.

The winning teams who will be entitled to these grants are required to establish themselves as either a non-profit organization or incorporate as a business in order to receive the funds associated with the grant.

They will also have the opportunity to work with Microsoft to develop and implement a plan that best serves their solution.

Microsoft Sri Lanka wishes the V360 team all the best and pledges to give them all possible support to bring the World Imagine Cup 2012 home.