Innovation Competition: World Finals
Competition year
Active Dates (UTC):
Online Competition
The next big thing could come from you. Incredible, world-changing software innovations often come from students. Social networks, music services, digital photography apps, gadgets and robotics – the list goes on. We’re looking for the next big thing and we know students like you are going to make it.
This competition is the doorway to your success. If you can win here, you can go anywhere. If you’ve got a great idea, assemble a great team and work hard to bring that idea to life. Your project could be on devices all over the world, changing lives and giving people the thrill of seeing the future come to life right in front of them.
The Imagine Cup Innovation Competition is a global contest for the best new innovative software and the winning team will take home $50,000 (US). Create a desktop or tablet project using Windows, or a mobile project using Windows Phone, or a browser project using Windows Azure and you could win big at the Imagine Cup World Finals in Seattle 2014.
Go for it!
How to Get Started
Take a look at our Getting Started guide for step-by-step instructions that will take you through the whole registration process.
How to Submit Your Project
Ready to submit your project to the judges? Click the 'Submission' link next to the competition on your Team Page to get started!
Remember that in order to submit your project, you'll need to have checked both the Registered and Competing checkboxes. You also are required to assign at least one of your team members to the competition, by clicking the 'Assign Roles' link. Once you've done all that, you'll be able to click the 'Submission' link.
Project Title
Give your project a short, memorable title.
Documents
You'll need to upload two different documents: first, a project proposal that outlines what your project is, how it works, who the target audience is, and so on; second, a set of instructions that judges and potential users can use to install and use your app. To upload each of the required files, click 'Select' to choose a file, and then click 'Upload' to send it off to us.
Video
As part of your project, you'll need to upload a video presentation to Microsoft's OneDrive service, and provide a link to the presentation. This presentation should explain your project and your team: Who your team is; what your project does; who your project is for; and how you will bring your project to market. Your video must be no longer than ten minutes and it may not have any edits or added visual effects. You may not move the camera during your presentation. In all respects it should replicate the experience of a judge sitting and watching your live presentation.
For more information about using OneDrive, and a step-by-step explanation of how to upload your video to OneDrive, take a look at our guide, Get Started With OneDrive.
The App
Upload the app software installer. This should be one of the following file formats: APPX, EXE, MSI, XAP, or ZIP. To upload the required file, click 'Select' to choose a file, and then click 'Upload' to send it off to us.
Azure URL
Is your project a web-based Azure app? If so, enter the URL for the project here. If not, just leave this field blank.
Save!
Don't forget to click 'Save' when you're done!
Microsoft Ventures Boot Camp
We will send the winning team in this category to either London, Berlin, or Tel Aviv to spend four weeks in a Microsoft Ventures accelerator program. This team of students will have co-working space at the accelerator; coaching by our staff including a Microsoft Ventures Accelerator Director and a technical lead; and participation in a variety of accelerator activities that will help these students move forward towards launching their project in the market. We’ll schedule this experience for anytime in the twelve months following Imagine Cup World Finals so the students can work around their academic calendar, and of course travel and lodging expenses are covered.
Visual Studio Online Boost
Visual Studio Online offers the cutting edge of online development services including source code controls, project tracking tools, hosted builds, cloud load testing, and team collaboration, all available anywhere you go. In 2014, all Imagine Cup World Semifinalist Innovation teams will be eligible for the Visual Studio Online Boost in which three teams in each competition will win $1,000 for using Visual Studio Online in their Imagine Cup project.