After months of competition and innovation, the 2025 Imagine Cup World Champion has been crowned. Congratulations to Argus!
Over 100 million people worldwide have a vision disability, and Argus aims to enhance autonomy and confidence through a lightweight, always-available wearable device.
Designed for individuals with low vision, Argus assists with object identification, facial recognition, and navigation. Powered by Azure AI Speech and Azure AI Foundry, it responds to voice commands, enabling greater confidence and independence. Argus is driven by a deeply personal mission, inspired by the founders’ own families. “Both Daniel and I have grandparents with uncorrectable visual impairments, and they’re the inspiration for Argus.” Arjun shared.
On May 19th, months of innovation, pitching, and perseverance culminated on the Microsoft Build keynote stage. Host Dona Sarkar, Principal Cloud Advocate, welcomed members of the three finalist teams on stage, and honoring the dedication that brought them to this moment. Then, to a round of cheers from the in-person audience and livestream viewers around the world, Annie Pearl, Corporate Vice President and General Manager of Azure Experiences and Ecosystems, announced the 2025 Imagine Cup World Champion. Argus won $100,000 USD and a mentorship session with Microsoft Chairman and CEO, Satya Nadella. The two runners-up, HairMatch and Signvrse, each won $25,000 USD.
Watch on-demand:
The Imagine Cup is more than the premier global technology competition for student founders—it’s a launchpad for the next generation of high-impact startups. It’s where students from around the world transform bold ideas into scalable businesses, using cutting-edge AI to tackle real-world problems and build solutions with global potential.
“Every time I meet the Imagine Cup finalists, I’m inspired by their passion, ingenuity and the bold ways they’re using AI to tackle problems that matter in their communities and around the world. They’re not just imagining what is possible with AI — they’re building it. I can’t wait to see how these startups continue to shape the future.” - Annie Pearl, Corporate Vice President and General Manager of Azure Experiences and Ecosystems
During the final round of competition, the teams pitched their startups to a panel of esteemed judges with deep expertise in AI, entrepreneurship, and innovation. The judges evaluated the finalists based on their innovative use of AI, inclusive design principles, and overall viability, making the final decision a true celebration of student-driven ingenuity.
The World Championship represents the culmination of this year’s Imagine Cup competition journey for student entrepreneurs from across the world. However, these founders are just getting started – through Microsoft for Startups, they'll have the continued support needed to grow their businesses, and we can’t wait to see what they do next.
Meet the World Champion - Argus
Argus, from the United States, earned the top title with their AI-powered wearable assistant that helps people with visual impairments navigate and interpret the world more independently. “It takes just one idea to make an impact,” says Daniel Kim. “And we believe Argus will help us make an impact on the lives of our grandparents, the hundreds of millions of others with visual impairments.”
Their two-part solution—a lightweight camera mounted on eyeglasses and a compact compute module—offers real-time object detection, facial recognition, and spatial guidance through voice commands. Argus is powered by two key technologies: Wi-R, an innovative wireless communication technology that uses the skin as a transmission medium and consumes 100x less power than traditional WiFi and a hybrid AI architecture that runs on the edge and in the cloud. Simple requests are processed locally for speed, while more complex queries are sent to the cloud, leveraging Azure AI Foundry’s wide range of AI models and capabilities.
Co-founders Daniel Kim and Arjun Oberoi met their first year at Stanford University and connected through a shared interest in the startup ecosystem, competing in multiple hackathons and startup competitions. What began as a spring break project during their first year has evolved into a promising startup. They’re now focused on refining their product, conducting user testing, and preparing for U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval to classify Argus as a durable medical device, allowing for insurance coverage.
In addition to winning the 2025 Imagine Cup World Championship, Argus was also named the winner of the Red Bull Basement US National Final and is part of Stanford BASES.
Argus’s commitment to inclusive design and accessibility continues to drive their innovation—and their impact. Future plans include embedding haptic feedback into the system for intuitive, non-verbal guidance, and integrating translational Optical Character Recognition (OCR) to support travel across language barriers. By combining novel wireless, advanced AI, and inclusive design, Argus aims to offer a solution unlike anything currently on the market.
“Argus can truly change the lives of hundreds of millions of people, like our grandparents, through not only innovation, but because it just works, and when technology truly works, it disappears in the background and lets people live more freely.” - Daniel Kim, Co-founder of Argus
Celebrating all finalists
This year’s championship featured three incredible student teams tackling global challenges with bold, AI-powered solutions. Each runner-up received $25,000 USD and global recognition to pursue their idea further (in alphabetical order):
HairMatch
Georgia Institute of Technology, University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill
United States
A personalized mobile app powered by Azure AI Foundry and Azure OpenAI Service that analyzes textured hair and recommends the best products, styles, and care tips for each user. With over 5,000 users in 45 countries, HairMatch offers a one-stop solution for product discovery, step-by-step hairstyle guides, and educational content. The startup was born from co-founder Alycea Adams’ personal struggle to find products that worked for her natural hair—a challenge echoed by her 1.2M+ social media followers. Alongside co-founder Matt Steele, the duo launched the app to empower women to embrace their curls with confidence. As Alycea puts it, “It's not just hair, embracing your curls is a journey to newfound confidence.”
Signvrse
The African Leadership University, Machakos University, Technical University of Mombasa, United States International University
Rwanda
A real-time sign language platform powered by Azure AI Speech that uses hyper-realistic 3D avatars and motion capture to translate speech and text into sign language. Signvrse is addressing the communication barriers for Deaf individuals that limit access to education, healthcare, employment, and mental health support. Co-developed wit
h Deaf linguists and educators, the platform is trained on one of the largest African Sign Language datasets and is expanding rapidly across regions. Daniel Phillips, the team’s Deaf Community Lead, lost his hearing at the age of 8 due to meningitis. He grew up in rural Kenya, where faced communication barriers, limited resources, and societal stigma. His lived experience and advocacy for Deaf inclusion continue to shape the platform’s cultural and linguistic integrity. As co-founder Branice Kazira explains, Signvrse aims to “redefine accessibility by seamlessly integrating sign language into digital spaces.”
Dive deeper into the stories behind these student founders in the Microsoft Source spotlight
Dream it. Build it. Live it.
Innovation doesn’t stop with the championship. Whether you’re refining your MVP, building a team, or preparing to enter the market, resources are available to support your journey:
- Microsoft for Startups – Tap into the latest generative AI models and quick start AI templates —plus GitHub, Azure credits, and expert guidance to scale your startup.
- Microsoft Learn Student Hub - Your go-to spot for free tech training, certifications, and resources to kickstart your career.
Join us next year - Registration for the 2026 Imagine Cup is now open!
If you have a startup idea—or even the spark of one—keep going. The path from concept to product is rarely linear, but the Imagine Cup community, tools, and mentorship can help you take the next step.
If you’re a student with an idea, we can’t wait to see what you create.
Register for 2026 Imagine Cup
Let this year’s finalists inspire your next big move—and imagine what you could build next.
Connect with us on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, or Facebook for the latest updates.
