Saturday 16 / November / 2024
Muscat: Microsoft and Omantel yesterday announced the names of the six teams which will compete in the Imagine Cup Oman Finals 2017,with a chance to represent Oman in the regional round for a chance to move to 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 Shaikh Talal Said Marhoon Al Mamari, Chief Executive Officer,Omantel, the Oman National finals round of the premier competition will take place on April 20that Hormuz Grand hotel. Organised in a strategic partnership with Omantel, and supported by the Information Technology Authority (ITA), the competition will provide a platform for young developers to showcase innovative, world-changing solutions before industry experts.
Road shows for Imagine Cup Oman were conducted across various universities and teams were selected for the finals include AMA, Beta, Metamorph, Nova 6, OneCode, and Smaky that come from Middle East College,German University of Technology in Oman, Sultan Qaboos University and Sohar University.
The winning team gets OMR2,500 followed by second and third runners up to receive OMR1,500, and OMR1,000 respectively. One out of these 6 teams will also be selected for the ‘Incubation Award’ a 3-month technical and business consultation opportunity.
“Imagine Cup represents a stepping stone towards innovation, and comes in line with Microsoft’s mission to empower every organisation to achieve more. It aims to give young people a competitive advantage in the workplace and chance to use their innovation to solve some of the greatest challenges faced today.” Said Sherif Tawfik, Country General Manager, Microsoft Bahrain and Oman. “We thank our partners for their support in landing and hosting Imagine Cup finals that endorses the sultanate’s vision for innovation and sustainability; equipping the talented youth with necessary skills that will allow them to thrive in a dynamic global environment, and improve economic competitiveness.”
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.
The finalists will cover an array of topics through their projects, competing to represent Oman on a global platform and a chance to win the much coveted Imagine Cup trophy.
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 youth of Oman 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.
