The National Finals is primarily meant to identify the team that has the best chance of winning at the World Finals in Seattle – The mecca of software world. The competition at the World Finals is of a very high caliber. So your project truly needs to be world-class if you want to represent India.
3 Tracks – 3 Winners - $50,000 at stake to turn your dream idea into reality!
Dream it! Build it! Live it! Imagine Cup!
World Citizenship - Since inception of Imagine Cup 13 years ago, the vision has always been to find path breaking ideas of millennials and helping them in making a positive impact in this world through their application. By creating impressive new technology projects in fields such as health, education, and the environment these students have shown the world new ways to think and to change. The idea is simple – Change the world and there is nobody better than these youngsters to do it.
Two takeaways: Do you believe in your idea? Do you think it’s really revolutionary? Do you think it changes lives of people for better? If yes – then give your best in making sure it gives the same message. Do user testing and take their feedback.
Previous Winner Pitch: https://channel9.msdn.com/Blogs/ImagineCup/Imagine-Cup-2014-Winner-First-Place-World-Citizenship
Aww. I just love Eyeanemia and their amazing pitch. Great idea, Close to perfect execution and 86 live users. You can see the difference and what it takes to win the Imagine Cup.
Innovation – As rightly mentioned on the website, Break the rules. Nobody expected a 20 something undergrad to connect one fifth of the world through his dorm room idea and revolutionize the whole industry. That guy was Mark Zuckerberg and he invented Facebook. You have the power to bring incredible, world-changing innovations which will certainly change the world and we are here to help you achieve it. Imagine Cup is THE platform and can be a catalyst for you to turn it into reality. Social networks, music services, digital photography apps, gadgets and robotics – the list goes on.
Two takeaways: Innovation comes from inside. Think deep and think fast! Having copied idea doesn’t help. It isn’t a way to impress people. Make sure you refine your idea before the final pitch.
Previous Winners Pitch: https://channel9.msdn.com/Blogs/ImagineCup/2015-Pitch-Video-Challenge-Winner-Innovation-Team-LifeScreen
There can be a lot of things which you can learn from this pitch in terms of idea presentation, flow and communication. Make sure you refine your pitch for National Finals beforehand and be ready for finale!
Games – What is better than gaming and but the mantra should be always – “Play to win”. Today, great games come from anywhere and people play them everywhere. On their phones, on their computers, on their tablets, in their browser, with their friends, with anyone, with everyone. Powerful game engines and libraries are available for free so students can get started right away. May be the next Flappy Bird may come out of someone from your class or college. So – Just dream big and Play to win.
Two takeaways: People understand you're not an artist, and finish your work! Having half-finished projects isn’t a way to impress people. Have a polished game.
Previous Winners Pitch: https://channel9.msdn.com/Blogs/ImagineCup/2015-Pitch-Video-Challenge-Winner-Games-Team-Hk
I just love the pitch of this team. The storyline, planning and their game – all of them are quite case and that’s what makes them stand-out. Now, you know the secret sauce to win in the games category so make sure you bring the cup back home from Seattle J
Some resourceful videos and tips:
- How to give a Zen like presentation http://www.presentationzen.com/presentationzen/2008/01/5-presentation.html
- Almost all the Imagine Cup finals and a lot of other videos to learn by watching them: https://www.youtube.com/user/imaginecupmicrosoft/playlists
- Include usage scenarios in your presentation and demos.
- Conduct research about what solutions are already available in the problem space that you are addressing. Identify your project’s value proposition.
- You will be evaluated on technical prowess as well as viability of getting the system deployed in real-life. Consider things like cost of implementation, training requirements, policy requirements etc.
- Conduct system testing as well as user testing (with potential users of the system)
- Practice your presentation in front of friends, teachers, mentors etc. Get someone to play the Devil’s Advocate and badger you with questions about why the solution that you propose will fail.
- Try and get some “Wow-Factor” into your demo- something that will make the judges sit up and pay attention!
Key Points to Remember:
- You need to bring your own equipment (including laptops, phones, Kinect sensors, Web Cams, power cords etc.) and software for the National Finals.
- Projector facilities, Internet connection, 1 monitor & a pair of speakers will be made available during each team’s presentation
- Dress code is business-casual. In the past, some National Finalist teams even created their own team uniform.
- Be Creative, Confident & Cheerful!