Microsoft has announced the names of the four teams which will compete in the Imagine Cup Qatar Finals 2017, with a chance to represent Qatar in the Worldwide Finals in Seattle, USA and walk away with a cash prize of $100,000!

Imagine Cup, which was first held in 2003, has since become a global phenomenon. This year, held under the patronage of His Excellency Jassim Saif Ahmed Al Sulaiti, the Minister of Transportation and Communication, the premier competition will take place on April 17 at Marsa Malaz Kempinski, The Pearl, Doha. Sponsored by Qatar Datamation Systems (QDS), Information and Communications Technology WLL (ICT) and EBLA, the competition with the slogan ‘Celebrating 15 years of awesome’ will provide a platform for young developers to showcase innovative, world-changing solutions before industry experts.

Imagine Cup Qatar will involve the participation of teams WoCoMo, Qfill and HIAme from Qatar University and Team 4 C from Carnegie Mellon University. All project submissions from the teams fall in line with Ministry of Transport and Communications’ (MOTC) vision for ‘Smart Qatar’, a roadmap that revolves around full-utilisation of innovative, IT based, most sophisticated technologies to facilitate Qatar's future growth.

More than 200 people are expected to attend the finals, including team supporters and VIPs. This year, Microsoft Azure cloud is a compulsory component of submitted solutions. Imagine Cup this year is no longer bound by project categories such as Innovation, Citizenship or Gaming; and is instead focused on purely the use of Technology. During the contest, all projects will be scored by a panel of expert judges from various industries, followed by announcement of the winning team.

“At Microsoft, we firmly believe in the innovation and talent based here in the region.” said Lana Khalaf, Acting Country Manager, Microsoft Qatar “We are honoured to be supported by Qatar’s Ministry of Transport and Communication, and pleased to partner with our sponsors in hosting the Imagine Cup 2017, an event that is designed to cultivate that spirit of entrepreneurialism in the youth and provide a platform that enables innovation through technology. The competition supports MOTC’s vision for ‘Smart Qatar’, empowering the next generation to create economic opportunities that contribute towards the country’s progression.”

In total, more than 1.75 million students from over 190 countries have participated in the event, which has evolved over the years. Students at the competition get a chance to network with many other young, passionate people, and establish valuable connections. The event aims to provide the Qatari youth with an opportunity to think about their strengths and weaknesses, and learn about the importance of creativity by leveraging technology and ultimately contribute towards a smarter future.

The finalists will cover an array of topics through their projects, competing to represent Qatar on a global platform and a chance to win the much coveted Imagine Cup trophy.

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