The Imagine Cup is the premier global technology competition for student founders using AI to push the boundaries of innovation. The 2025 season has been off to a great start — live events introduced the competition, various AI technologies, and Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub as part of the Student Innovator Series (you can tune in on demand!). Competitors also had the option of completing a Lean Canvas as an early step in their competition journey for a chance to win mentorship from industry experts.
Read further below for brief recaps on the events and to meet our winners!
Rewatch the kickoff to hear invaluable advice from past competitors, how to consider structuring your idea, and how to get started building your minimum viable product (MVP) with AI models in GitHub and Azure AI. We’ve included a few pieces of advice to inspire you to get started today!
“Look at the Imagine Cup as an opportunity for something you want to accelerate or push forward … right now I’m still working on our startup, we have paying customers and we’re talking to users. That’s a testament to how much Microsoft [Imagine] Cup has accelerated us.” – Aaliya Jakir, Roadmap, 2024 Imagine Cup Finalist
“The pitch is probably the toughest part you’re going to go through, a lot of refinement, a lot of changes. But be patient because in the end it comes together and it’s all worth it… address the who, the what, the where, the why, and the how as succinctly as possible … so making those intentions and goals super clear is the key to having a really solid demo and pitch.” – Alexa Vasilakos, ParkinSync, 2024 Imagine Cup Semifinalist
Judges reviewed hundreds of Lean Canvases to determine the top five! Teams were evaluated based on the identification and understanding of the problem and customer(s), the innovation and effectiveness of their proposed solution, how clearly they defined their unique value proposition, their market strategy, and their financial planning and success metrics.
🥁🥁 And the winners are (in alphabetical order)…
AuonEdu, Saudi Arabia
An AI-powered educational platform tailored for Arabic speakers, featuring advanced content management, collaborative learning, and interactive 3D models. The platform serves as a comprehensive alternative to traditional learning management systems (LMS).
DoubleTick, India
DoubleTick transforms second-hand transactions in India with a secure, full-service platform for buying, selling, and renting. Through cross-city logistics, verified quality, and a focus on underserved areas, they drive trust, sustainability, and inclusion.
MatheX, Germany
What skills could be more crucial than a fundamental understanding of mathematics? MatheX is a groundbreaking mathematics learning platform for elementary school students that enables personalized and speech-based training of core mathematical skills.
NeuroClusters, Canada
Leveraging AI to overcome linguistic and cultural barriers in autism diagnostics, their project aims to develop a cross-linguistic autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) assessment platform that enables early, accurate diagnosis across multiple languages.
ToolDetective, Brazil
ToolDetective provides predictive maintenance for the manufacturing industry, checking metal cutting tool’s wear during each cycle of machining, using computer vision based on deep learning algorithms that segments the wear on the image to increase the tool lifetime.
Missed this round? Don’t worry – there is still plenty of time to register and build your MVP by January 22, 2025 (submission to the Idea round is not required to submit to the MVP round!). We encourage you to document your idea using a Lean Canvas – it’s not required but it’s a helpful exercise to ensure you are building a solution that is technologically innovative, inclusive, and viable.
Founders Hub is where you’ll access industry-leading AI services and credits to build your MVP and scale quickly. With models like Azure OpenAI GPT-4o, Microsoft Research Phi-3, and Meta’s Llama 3.1, you’ll have the resources to develop scalable and impactful AI solutions.
Gabriela de Queiroz, Director of AI, walks through the Founders Hub portal, reviews the AI services and tools available in Azure, and demos how to implement a chatbot with Azure AI services and GitHub Codespaces – all especially for Imagine Cup competitors.
“Learn how to activate your benefits, access cutting edge AI models and Azure credits, and so much more. This is your chance to kickstart your startup journey and build a minimal viable product (MVP)” – Gabriela de Queiroz, Director of AI, Microsoft
Make sure you sign up for Founders Hub with the same email address you used to register for Imagine Cup and select Imagine Cup as your Microsoft partner.
You still have time to develop an MVP before January 22, 2025, so get started today and register to start building the future. Review the Imagine Cup Official Rules and Regulations to understand what is required for each competition round.
Register for the 2025 Imagine Cup
The competition is just getting started, so stay tuned and follow us on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook for exciting announcements and the latest updates.
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