Microsoft Gulf, in partnership with du, today revealed the five projects in the UAE which have qualified for the UAE country finals of Microsoft’s premier technology competition, Imagine Cup 2012.
Microsoft’s partnership with du presents a special Mobile Development competition for students in the UAE.
Now in its tenth year, Microsoft’s Imagine Cup called upon students across the UAE and Gulf to rise to the challenge and “imagine a world where technology helps solve the toughest problems facing us today.” The competition, supported by du, Asus and Wamda is open to students between the age of 16 years and 26 years, empowering them to use their creative and technical abilities to make a positive impact on society, the company said.
The winning team in the software design category in the UAE country finals scheduled to be held on April 23rd 2012 will advance to participate in the Imagine Cup worldwide finals which will be held in Sydney, Australia in July 2012.
“We are impressed with the entries received thus far for the Imagine Cup competition in the UAE,” said Samer Abu-Ltaif, regional GM, Microsoft Gulf. “The notion of making the world a better place is at the heart of Imagine Cup and it provides a platform for the brightest young minds across UAE to express their creativity and passion for technology by coming up with new solutions for the challenges we face today in the world. The teams have exhibited tremendous passion and innovation and I wish them the very best for the future. Our focus on Imagine Cup reflects Microsoft’s continued commitment in supporting young talent to drive future prosperity in the UAE.”
“We are very pleased with the participation seen so far from students in the UAE for Microsoft UAE Imagine Cup in 2012 and are seeing a lot of excitement from young innovators in the UAE,” said Hala Badri, executive VP, brand and communications, du. “We are keen to keep the momentum going until the time for the UAE finals. Imagine Cup is one of few platforms that provide students a chance to showcase their technology innovation, and we believe this is set to inspire the next generation of leaders in UAE,” continued Hala Badri.
For the fourth consecutive year, du is partnering Microsoft Gulf for Imagine Cup, as part of its corporate social responsibility efforts to encourage and nurture young entrepreneurs and talent in the UAE.
According to the companies, the five projects shortlisted from the United Arab Emirates include:
- Reutilizer: a mobile application and website used by individuals to tackle waste management and biofuels. The website is used by small restaurants to avoid waste and uses a mapping algorithm which groups nearby individuals and stores in order to optimize pickups and make routes more efficient.
- Absolute Security: secures any soft or digital product against piracy by using advanced encryption.
- Cloud Scrubs: a unified Electronic Medical Record system which offers a common, usable and readable format for EMRs.
- Sleep Apnea Monitor (SAM): phone application that aims to diagnose and monitor sleep apnea patients, through utilizing some of the phone’s built-in features, in a cost-effective and more comfortable manner.
- Sparkka: an application that answers medical queries and dispenses localized medical advice to patients and seekers of medical advice via its rich and easy-to-use interface.
According to Microsoft, Imagine Cup compliments the company’s commitment to create social and economic opportunity through programs and products that transform education, foster local innovation and enable jobs and opportunities worldwide.
