Microsoft Imagine Cup Submission Party Today
Contact: George Markowsky, (207) 581-3940
UMaine students are invited to gather today from 5:30-7:30 p.m. in Room 100, Neville Hall, to learn about the upcoming international Imagine Cup 2011 competition sponsored by Microsoft and designed to bring out the best in information technology creations by the world’s young software developers.
Imagine Cup is a team-based, worldwide student developer competition encouraging students to create technology that solves some of the world’s toughest problems, while learning what it takes to potentially create a socially responsible startup.
The annual competition, now nine years old, is a worldwide stage for something akin to the Olympics, according to George Markowsky, chair of the Computer Science Department. Microsoft is looking for UMaine’s brightest students to take part and show that they have what it takes to compete against other student all over the globe, changing the world in a positive way.
Edwin Guarin, Senior Academic Developer Evangelist for Microsoft New England, will lead today’s Imagine Cup submission party. The team retains 100 percent of the IP, and winning students will be eligible for recognition, $25,000 in cash, free travel, and a chance to meet global technology leaders.
Today’s schedule is up to 15 minutes for an Imagine Cup presentation, 16-30 minutes for questions and answers and 31-120 minutes of brainstorming and team formation to work on a project plan or storyboard. Guarin will walk through the submission process. Most students are done within 45 minutes. Participants will enjoy free food and drinks, and the first 20 students to form teams and submit will receive a free XBOX360 game.
Students will participate in qualifying competitions in March and April to determine finalists for the global competition in New York City in July.