Giz readers may be familiar with the Imagine Cup: the Microsoft-sponsored competition where students tackle big problems with technology. This year the world finals are in Sydney! But first you’ll need to get through the Aussie finals. Though Game Design entries have closed, registrations for the Software Design comp are still wide open. Here’s what you (and your coding crew) need to know.
Since the Imagine Cup started 10 years ago, some previous winners have even gone on to create start-ups based on their entries and won cash grants. Think you have what it takes?
Step 1: Think Big
Last year, a team from Canberra University took out the overall national round of the Imagine Cup with their ‘Brain Speller’ – a device designed to help sufferers of dementia, paralysis and brain damage that can read people’s brain signals and translate them into text. You may remember it being featured on Gizmodo.
Other previous winners have created a range of ideas, from an app that helps search-and-rescue teams coordinate their efforts during natural disasters to navigation software allowing physically disabled people to overcome obstacles by identifying barrier-free routes through cities.
Step 2:
Register your team at the Imagine Cup page.
The Round 1 submission deadline is March 13. For this round, all you need to do is create a preliminary summary – and you can even enter more than one idea (though only one will be chosen for Round 2). Make sure you read the full competition rules as well.
You’ll need to be a tertiary student: part-time or full-time; undergraduate or postgraduate, and enrolled in a course at any Uni or accredited higher education institution in Australia between August 1, 2011 and March 13, 2012. Fine print – you’ll also need to be over 16 years old and a resident of this fine island we call Australia.
What You Could Win
Each eligible winning team member will get one of the Australian prizes below when they enter an Australian comp. For example, For the team that wins first prize at the Australian finals, each team member will win an Asus Zenbook UX21.
The Worldwide prizes below are to be shared amongst each eligible winning team member.
Furthermore, Worldwide finalists are eligible to win cash grants to help them get their idea off the ground. Recently four teams were awarded $US75,000 to bring their ideas to life!
So what’s stopping you? Get a team together and start thinking big – here’s your chance to get your skills noticed on the world stage. Enter here.