Microsoft launches 15th annual Imagine Cup, doubles top prize to $100,000

Kip Kniskern

Microsoft has announced that it’s accepting applications for the 2017 Imagine Cup, its student technology competition now celebrating its 15th anniversary. Student teams can compete by building applications using Microsoft technologies, this year vying for a $100,000 top prize, double what it’s been in the past.

Microsoft has made some modifications to this year’s rules, first of all noting that it’s paramount that today’s students prepare for the future by building skills in cloud technologies, and so the company wants to “highly encourage all Imagine Cup projects to showcase one or more Microsoft Azure services within their solutions.”

Microsoft is also placing greater emphasis on the underlying technologies used in this year’s projects, and will be looking for “deep technology integration in fully formed apps, services and games with the potential to be viable in the commercial marketplace.”

Finally, the company is foregoing the categories that were used in past competitions so that projects that don’t neatly fit into a category can still compete.

You can check out the official rules and regulations, and register for the Imagine Cup today!