Microsoft to hold Imagine Cup regional finals

Microsoft will bring together teams from around the Gulf for the regional finals of its annual Imagine Cup next week.

The Imagine Cup is contest that aims to give teams of university students the opportunity to show off their technology skills and imagination in creating solutions for global problems.

This year's competition will bring together six teams from the Gulf region - three from UAE; one from Bahrain; one from Oman and one from Kuwait - to compete in nine categories to present technology solutions that can enable a sustainable environment.

Vimal Sethi, developer and platform group manager, Microsoft Gulf said: "Microsoft Imagine Cup is all about igniting the imagination of tomorrow's technology visionaries and leaders. When coupled with the power of technology the potential of young people is unlimited and the ideas they develop for the event could significantly improve the lives of millions of people around the world. The contest also provides student inventors and entrepreneurs from the Gulf region with a launch pad for their ideas and access to key resources that can set them on the path to career success."

This year's competition is being supported by the Information Technology Authority (ITA) of Oman and eGovernment Bahrain. The winners will on to the worldwide finals in Paris in July, to compete for over $180,000 in prizes.