Microsoft Announces Finalists for Global Student Technology Competition

*More than 400 students invited to showcase their technology to solve the world’s toughest problems at Microsoft Imagine Cup 2011 Worldwide Finals in New York.*

NEW YORK — May 23, 2011 — In July, more than 400 of the brightest young minds from around the world will travel to New York to showcase their innovative ideas for using technology to solve the world’s toughest problems. As the winners of regional, national and online Imagine Cup competitions, these high school and university students represent the pinnacle of innovation, creativity and entrepreneurialism from 73 countries and regions around the globe.

This year, more than 350,000 students from 183 countries registered for Microsoft Corp.’s Imagine Cup, the world’s premier student technology competition. The 124 student teams secured their places at the July 8–13 Worldwide Finals event, where they will demonstrate technological advancements in problem-solving and compete for international recognition and $215,000 (U.S.) in cash prizes in categories including Software Design, Embedded Development, Game Design, Digital Media, Windows Phone 7, IT Challenge, Interoperability Challenge, Windows 7 Touch Challenge and the Orchard Challenge. The students’ projects tackle serious humanitarian issues, often inspired by the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, such as the environment, health, accessibility and education.

“Some of history’s greatest inventions were created by students. With the Microsoft Imagine Cup, students apply their innovative thinking to real-world causes in order to generate the future’s greatest inventions as well,” said S. Somasegar, senior vice president, Developer Division at Microsoft. “To see young innovators and entrepreneurs harness their creativity and talent to benefit a greater good is absolutely inspiring.”

Last year, Team GINA from the Czech Republic was among the finalist teams that competed at the Imagine Cup 2010 Worldwide Finals in Warsaw, Poland. The team developed GINA (Geographical INformation Assistant), an innovative software system for mobile equipment that provides navigation in difficult terrain, helps coordinate rescue teams, and enables the efficient exchange of geographical information. Together with the humanitarian organization Hand for Help Europe o.s. and its partners, the GINA system has been deployed in Haiti to track the progress of the cholera epidemic, and recently has been helping rescue workers in Japan monitor areas affected by the recent earthquake and tsunami that devastated the country.

“Technology has tremendous potential to solve humanitarian problems, and the Imagine Cup gave me a platform to share my ideas for making the world a better place,” said Team GINA member Zbynek Poulicek. “The Imagine Cup was also a launching pad to start my own business and have an impact in places like Haiti and Japan.”

More information about the GINA system is available at https://www.ginasystem.com.

2011 marks the first time that the Imagine Cup Worldwide Finals event, now in its ninth year, will take place in the United States. Although the primary focus of the gathering is the competition, the finalist teams will also have opportunities to attend special training sessions, meet peers from around the world, and participate in volunteer and cultural activities while in New York. The final event of the competition, the Imagine Cup World Festival and Awards Ceremony, will take place on Wednesday, July 13.

The worldwide finalist teams are:

Country Category School(s) Team Name
Algeria Software Design Ecole Nationale Superieur d’Informatique Epsilon
Algeria Embedded Development Ecole Nationale Superieur d’Informatique Green Stroumpfs
Armenia Software Design Yerevan State University, State Engineering University of Armenia X-Tech
Algeria Software Design Ecole Nationale Superieur d’Informatique Epsilon
Australia Software Design Canberra University UCEEG
Bangladesh Software Design American International University Rapture
Belgium Windows Phone 7 Campus karel de goedelaan Howest Digitron-WP7
Belgium Game Design Mobile Campus karel de goedelaan Howest Crash Games
Bosnia and Herzegovina Software Design Slobomir P University CPU Team
Brazil Software Design Federal University of Pernambuco LevelUp
Brazil Embedded Development UFPE, Universidade de Pernambuco, Universidade Federal Rual de Pernambuco Embedded Brain
Brazil Game Design (Windows/Xbox) Federal University of Pernambuco Replay
Brazil Game Design (Windows/Xbox) Universidade Positivo Signum Games
Brazil Digital Media Universidade Estadual Paulista Quarentaedois
Brazil Interoperability Challenge Federal University of Pernambuco Bells Team
Bulgaria Software Design Technical University of Sofia, New Bulgarian University and Sofia University Walk2Help
Bulgaria Game Design (Web) Sofia University, University of Hertfordshire GreenWorld
Chile Software Design Universidad Tecnica Federico Santa Maria Lifeware S.A.C.
China Software Design City Institute, Dalian University of Technology Care Everyone
China Embedded Development Tsinghua University Harmonicare
China IT Challenge Huazhong University of Science and Technology Xuewen Tian
Colombia Embedded Development Universidad Icesi Freakin’ Mind
Costa Rica Software Design Not available CarPooling Mate Finder
Croatia Software Design Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing, University of Zagreb Apptenders
Cyprus Software Design University of Cyprus iDOC
Czech Republic Software Design Faculty of Informatics at Masaryk University Celebrio Software
Czech Republic Game Design (Windows/Xbox) Brno University of Technology WickedTeam
Ecuador Software Design Escuela Superior Politécnica del Chimborazo Falcon Dev
Egypt Software Design Faculty of Computers and Information, Cairo University Cairo Team 3
Egypt Embedded Development Ain Shams University, Computer and Systems Engineering ideas 4 u
Finland Software Design Turku University of Applied Sciences 25k
France Software Design École Française d’Électronique et d’Informatique Dream’n’Touch
France Embedded Development École Française d’Électronique et d’Informatique Give Me 4
France Game Design (Mobile) Epitech Close World Mobile
France Game Design (Mobile) Ingesup, Supinfogame Geekologic
France IT Challenge Supinfo International University Jean-Sebastien Duchene
Germany Software Design Dresden University of Technology majiRanger
Germany Embedded Development Duale Hochschule Baden-Wurttemberg JOFNET
Germany IT Challenge Karlsruhe Institute of Technology Alexander Wachtel
Greece Software Design School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece Epione
Greece Interoperability Challenge Athens University of Economics and Business alaniarides
India Software Design University College of Engineering, Punjabi University Infiniti
India Embedded Development V.E.S. Institute of Technology Drushti
India Digital Media Madurai Kamaraj University, University of Birmingham Green Uno
Indonesia Software Design Telkom Institute of Technology Gatotkaca
Indonesia Embedded Development University of Indonesia MACARA
Iraq Software Design American University of Iraq- Sulaimani Hawk
Ireland Software Design Institute of Technology Sligo Hermes
Italy Software Design University Frederico Secondo of Naples Nea Soft
Japan Software Design Dosisha University MI3
Japan Embedded Development Kyoto University of Technology, Salesian Polytechnic, Osaka Municipal College of Design SunDonation
Jordan Software Design German Jordanian University, Petra University, Princess Sumaya University Oasys
Korea Software Design SeJong University Four Leaf Clover
Korea Embedded Development National University Link Your Passion
Korea Windows Phone 7 Dongguk University, Samgmyung University HOMERUN
Korea Windows Phone 7 Seoul National University of Technology, Soongsil University in Seoul, Korea University of Technology and Education, Ewha Women’s University Zipi Zigi
Kuwait Software Design American University of Kuwait SWAP Team
Lebanon Software Design American University of Beirut D4W
Malaysia Software Design UCTI University, Asia Pacific University Team Cyber Knightz
Mexico Software Design Universidad Iberoamericana Brain
Mexico Game Design (Mobile) Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico Fomis Phone Team
Morocco Software Design École Marocaine des Sciences de l’Ingénieur Whitelight
Netherlands Software Design Not available Olife
New Zealand Software Design University of Auckland OneBuzz
Nigeria Software Design Federal University of Technology Nerds Inc.
Oman Digital Media Sultan Qaboos University Brothers Forever
Oman Software Design Sultan Qaboos University Edunology
Pakistan Embedded Development Lahore University of Management Sciences The Pioneers
Pakistan Software Design FAST — National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences, Islamabad V3C
Palestinian Authorities Software Design Palestine Polytechnic University Vital Dreams
Peru Software Design Universidad Católica Santo Toribio de Mogrovejo Nawy Harkay
Philippines Game Design (Web) De La Salle University Signum Fidei
Philippines Software Design Ateneo De Manila University, De La Salle University polymor.ph
Poland Embedded Development Wojskowa Akademia Technicza WCY_TEAM
Poland Game Design (Web) Uniwersytet Im. Adama Mickiewicza Cellardoor
Poland Interoperability Challenge Uniwerstytet Adama Mickiewicza W Poznaniu DemosceneSpirit
Poland IT Challenge Poznan University of Technology Blazej Matuszyk
Poland Software Design Polytechnika Lodzka CodeRaiders
Portugal Software Design Instituto Politecnico Do Cavado E Do Ave RescueMe
Puerto Rico Software Design Universidad Metropolitana, Sistema Ana G. Mendez Team A41
Romania Digital Media NW College London, Universitatea Bucuresti M.N.A.
Romania Embedded Development Gh. Asachi Technical University of Iasi Endeavour_Design
Romania IT Challenge Alexandru Ioan University Sinescu Ionut
Romania Software Design Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca Simplex
Russia Embedded Development Saratov State Technical University Calvus
Russia Game Design (Mobile) Yaroslavl State University CRS
Russia Software Design Moscow Aviation Institute Oriteam
Senegal Software Design L’ecole polytechnique de Dakar CYAN GIRLS
Serbia Software Design University of Novi Sad 4K-join
Singapore Embedded Development Nanyang Polytechnic Skynet
Singapore IT Challenge Nanyang Polytechnic Yunheng Mong
Singapore Software Design Temasek Polytechnic ElderGuardian
Singapore Windows Phone 7 Tamesek Polytechnic Code Instincts
Slovakia Game Design (Web) Slovak University of Technology Quegee Team
Slovakia Software Design Technicka Univerzita V Kosiciach Zippers
Slovenia Software Design University of Maribor, Feri 2ndsight
South Africa Software Design University of Cape Town Komodo1
Spain Software Design Castilla La Mancha University Software4life
Spain Embedded Development Mondragon Unibertsitatea Argitech
Sri Lanka Software Design University of Peradeniya Pera Soft
Sweden Software Design Uppsala Universitet Life Map
Switzerland Software Design Hendrik Knoch Texting4All
Taiwan Software Design Taipei University Miner
Taiwan Embedded Development National Tsing Hua University NTHUCS
Taiwan Digital Media National Taipei University of Technology Cottoncandy
Thailand Game Design (Windows/Xbox) Mahidol University JubJub
Thailand Software Design Chulalongkorn University NewKrean
Trinidad & Tobago Software Design University of the Southern Caribbean Codec
Tunisia Software Design Engineering School of Gabes Sight Browser
Turkey Software Design Bahcesehir University Co2ncerned
Uganda Software Design Makerere University College of Science, Makerere University College of Computing and Informatics Quest-0
Ukraine Software Design Odessa Computer Academy “Step” DashPoint
Ukraine Digital Media IT Academy Step, Kharkov Digital Dream
United Arab Emirates Software Design University of Wollongong in Dubai The Hex Pistols
United Kingdom Software Design University of Manchester Project OVE
United Kingdom Embedded Development University of York Cycling into Trees
United States Software Design Arizona State University Note-Taker
United States Embedded Development Santiago Canyon College Syntax Errors
United States Game Design (Web) Ithaca College ICsquared
United States Windows Phone 7 University of California Los Angeles Anderson School of Management, University of California Davis, Harvard Business School, University of Central Florida LifeLens
United States Game Design (Mobile) Rice University Team Dragon
Venezuela Software Design Universidad Central de Venezuela UCV-Ideas
Vietnam Software Design Hanoi University of Technology MIGI

Microsoft also announced the winners of the Orchard Challenge and Windows 7 Touch Challenge, two of Imagine Cup’s online competitions. The first place teams in these challenges will represent their countries at the Imagine Cup Worldwide Finals:

Category Place Country School(s) Team Name
Orchard Challenge 1st Denmark Aarhus University MP Brun
Orchard Challenge 2nd Brazil Escola Politecnica da Universidade de Sao Paulo, Universidade Estadual de Campinas Virtual Dreams — Orchard
Orchard Challenge 3rd Serbia Metropolitan University, Tehnicki Fakultet Mihajilo Pupin Zveen Zveen Team
Windows 7 Touch Challenge 1st France University of Orleans India Rose
Windows 7 Touch Challenge 2nd Indonesia Telkom Institute of Technology _dreambender_
Windows 7 Touch Challenge 3rd Japan Senior High School at Komaba, University of Tsukuba IUVO

Additional information about the worldwide finalist teams and projects can be found on the Imagine Cup blog. A sortable spreadsheet of the finalist teams and projects, as well as more information about the Microsoft Imagine Cup, is available at the Imagine Cup Virtual Pressroom.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

*Source: Microsoft

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