2025 Semifinals Session 1
Competition year
Active Dates (UTC):
Imagine Cup Competition
Gain access to additional benefits to accelerate your growth, including mentorship, global recognition, and expert guidance within Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub. In this round, you will participate in a deep dive technical review with Microsoft experts, work on your pitch and strategy with mentors and experts, and pitch live to a virtual panel of judges.
A minimum of eighteen (18) teams will be selected to compete in the Semifinals. This will include a minimum of ten (10) teams, which were selected from the MVP round evaluation process, and a minimum of eight (8) teams from identified university entrepreneurship programs, which will be selected based on an evaluation process with the same judging criteria as the MVP round.
Teams are required to participate in the following activities and submit the following materials, which must meet all the submission requirements and address each of the Semifinals judging criteria provided in the Official Rules and Regulations.
Technical Review: At the start of the Semifinals round, all semifinalists will undergo a one-time initial technical review conducted by Microsoft experts. This review aims to ensure that the submitted solutions are authentic and fully functional. You will be asked to walk through and explain your complete solution and architecture so that experts can verify its capabilities and ensure that it meets submission criteria.
Live Pitch and Demo: a 5-minute maximum presentation that will be given live to a panel of judges. The 5-minute allotment will include your core pitch about your startup as well as your working demo. This will be a refined version of the pitch and demo that you submitted to the MVP round.
- Your demo may be live or pre-recorded with live narration.
- You are responsible for your product to be fully installed on suitable hardware for your demo.
- You are responsible for procuring a translator if needed for your live presentation. Microsoft cannot serve as translators for your team.
Semifinals Advancement: Teams in the Semifinals round will be evaluated by judges using the Semifinals judging criteria provided in the Official Rules and Regulations. The Semifinals will result in three (3) teams who will advance to the World Championship. No other team rankings will be released. This will be communicated no later than April 4, 2025.
Questions? Please refer to our FAQ page.
| Competitors | Students ages 18 and older at an accredited school or university |
|---|---|
| Team size | Up to 4 competitors |
| Deadline: | April 1, 2025 |
| Prize | Winners will advance to the World Championship |
| Online or live | Live (remote) |
| Submission requirements | A live walkthrough and explanation of your submission to our Microsoft experts, plus a live pitch and demonstration to our judges |