Microsoft has announced the names of the four teams that will compete in the Imagine Cup Qatar Finals 2017, with a chance to represent Qatar in the Worldwide Finals in Seattle, US, and walk away with a cash prize of $100,000.
Imagine Cup, first held in 2003, has since become a global phenomenon. This year, held under the patronage of HE the Minister of Transport and Communications Jassim Seif Ahmed al-Sulaiti, the competition will take place on Monday at Marsa Malaz Kempinski, The Pearl-Doha.
Imagine Cup Qatar will involve the participation of teams WoCoMo, Qfill and HIAme from Qatar University and Team 4 C from Carnegie Mellon University.
All project submissions from the teams fall in line with Ministry of Transport and Communications (MoTC)'s vision for ‘Smart Qatar’, a roadmap that revolves around full utilisation of innovative, IT-based, most sophisticated technologies to facilitate Qatar's future growth.
The competition, held under the slogan ‘Celebrating 15 years of awesome’, provides a platform for young developers to showcase "innovative, world-changing" solutions before industry experts.
More than 200 people are expected to attend the finals, including team supporters and VIPs. This year, Microsoft Azure cloud is a compulsory component of submitted solutions.
Imagine Cup this year is no longer bound by project categories such as innovation, citizenship or gaming, and is instead focused on purely the use of technology, according to a press statement. During the contest, all projects will be scored by a panel of expert judges from various industries, followed by the announcement of the winning team.
“At Microsoft, we firmly believe in the innovation and talent based here in the region,” said Lana Khalaf, acting country manager, Microsoft Qatar. “The competition supports the MoTC’s vision for ‘Smart Qatar’, empowering the next generation to create economic opportunities that contribute towards the country’s progression.”
The event aims to provide the Qatari youth with an opportunity to think about their strengths and weaknesses, and learn about the importance of creativity by leveraging technology and ultimately contribute towards a smarter future.
