The 20th anniversary of the Imagine Cup is here, and you have access to more training, mentorship, and learning to develop your skills than ever before. Through hands-on innovation, you can bring your idea to life, collaborate with a global community of students, and develop career-ready skills to propel you forward.
Here are the top 7 reasons why you should sign up to join the Imagine Cup competition journey:
1. Join a global network of students
After you register, you’re invited to join a virtual community of students, mentors, tech professionals, and more on Discord – a free collaboration and communication platform. Here, you’ll find space to chat with other students, find teammates, ask technical questions, find mentorship, and have a virtual hub for collaboration and skill development. You’ll be able to access the invite from your account page once you register for the competition.
2. Access curated training and mentorship with Microsoft professionals
All competitors have access to free training available on GitHub covering topics such as an overview of the Imagine Cup, brainstorming project ideas, getting started on Azure, and more. Once you complete all the training, you can unlock mentorship from Microsoft experts to get feedback on your ideas.
3. Develop your project pitch in the Epic Challenge
To enter the challenge, all teams have the option submit their 3 minute project pitch and proposal. Each team will have their Epic Challenge submission judged, and one winner from each region will be selected to win USD1,000 and automatically advance to the World Finals in May 2022 . Plus, the top 5 teams from each region will receive feedback from judges to improve their projects and pitches for the next round of the competition.
4. Win amazing prizes
Here’s a look at everything you could win this year:
- Epic Challenge winners will each win USD1,000 and will advance directly to the World Finals
- All World Finals teams will receive a USD1,000 Azure grant, plus the top 12 teams will receive USD2,500, and an assigned mentor.
- The top 3 teams will receive an additional Azure grant and move forward to the World Championship, win an additional USD2,500, and compete for the grand prize of USD100,000 and a mentoring session from Microsoft Chairman and CEO, Satya Nadella.
5. Build new tech skills for your career portfolio
Have you wanted to get started with Machine Learning? Develop your own app? Build experience working as part of a team? Or maybe learn how you can develop business skills such as presenting, problem-solving, or working in a diverse team? Whatever your interest or skill level, the Imagine Cup is the place for you! On your competition journey, you’ll build and learn hands-on through innovation and collaboration alongside fellow students and Microsoft professionals. Plus, you can use your project as a portfolio centerpiece as you move forward in your career!
6. Find your community and learn together to make a difference
With competition categories in Earth, Education, Health, and Lifestyle, you can develop a tech solution focused on the social issue you’re most passionate about and collaborate with a community of fellow students who share your vision.
7. Make your impact in the world through technology
Your time is now to contribute to the world you want for the future. If you have an idea for how to help environmental or earth-related issues, tackle health and accessibility challenges, support learners globally, or shape how we live, work, and play, there’s no better place to bring it to life than the Imagine Cup.
Don’t miss out on the chance to grow your tech and career skills for the future and make an impact in the lives of others along the way. Register for the Imagine Cup now!
