Microsoft Launches More Expansive Imagine Cup 2013

              Microsoft Launches More Expansive Imagine Cup 2013

Eleventh year features new categories and bigger cash prizes to inspire more
young developers and entrepreneurs around the globe.

PR Newswire

REDMOND, Wash., Aug. 29, 2012

REDMOND, Wash., Aug. 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Students ages 16 and older can
now register for Microsoft Imagine Cup 2013, the world's premier student
technology competition, in its 11th year. To inspire more students and
encourage a wider variety of aspiring innovators to participate, Microsoft
Corp. has redesigned Imagine Cup around three new core competitions — World
Citizenship, Games and Innovation — and more than doubled the prize money to
US$300,000.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20000822/MSFTLOGO)

More than 1.65 million students across the globe have participated in Imagine
Cup during the past decade, creating applications and games that address the
world's toughest social problems. The 2013 competition builds on the core
elements that have been most popular with students in the past 10 years —
social impact and gaming — while expanding the competition's focus on
innovation and entrepreneurship. In Imagine Cup 2013, students may compete in
the following competitions:

  o World Citizenship. Honors the software application developed on Microsoft
    platforms with the greatest potential to make a positive impact on
    humanity. For example, a project might address education-, social- or
    healthcare-related problems.
  o Games. Honors the most engaging and entertaining games targeting teens and
    youth, built on Microsoft platforms (Windows 8, Windows Phone, Kinect for
    Windows Software Development Kit, and Xbox Indie Games).
  o Innovation. Honors apps that give consumers inspiration and innovation at
    their fingertips, whether it be a new spin on social networks, online
    shopping or search, built with Microsoft tools and technology.

In addition to the competitions, students can register to compete in online
Challenges focused on specific technologies and platforms, including Windows
8, Windows Azure and Windows Phone.

Imagine Cup is a global, yearlong competition that culminates in a Worldwide
Finals event, to take place in St. Petersburg, Russia, July 8–11, 2013.
Worldwide Finalists will also have the chance to apply for Microsoft Imagine
Cup Grants as part of a three-year, $3 million investment by Microsoft to help
students turn their ideas into reality.

"Imagine Cup is the beginning of a lifelong journey for a young entrepreneur,
inventor, designer, developer or innovator," said John Scott Tynes, Imagine
Cup competition strategy and development manager. "With the evolution of
Imagine Cup, we're further inspiring students from all academic backgrounds to
collaborate on applications and seize opportunities post-Imagine Cup to polish
their applications, gain the support they need to bring their technology to
market, and fully realize their potential to impact their local communities
and the world."

Many Imagine Cup participants, such as team Wormhole IT, which competed in the
Worldwide Finals in 2007, have taken lessons learned from Imagine Cup to
enhance their projects and launch small businesses post-event. "Without
Imagine Cup, we would have never received the feedback that we needed to turn
our application into a reality," said Sally Buberman, of Wormhole IT, who
participated as judge at this year's competition. "It was more than a
competition; it was the chance to showcase our application and learn what it
would take to launch a profitable business based upon our idea." Wormhole IT,
with locations in Argentina and the U.S., offers webconferencing and online
platforms that can be used for educators to communicate with students in
different locations, especially in developing regions where connectivity is
poor.

Students interested in signing up for Imagine Cup 2013 may register on the
website, http://www.imaginecup.com.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in
software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their
full potential.

SOURCE Microsoft Corp.

Website: http://www.microsoft.com
Website: http://www.imaginecup.com
Contact: Rapid Response Team, Waggener Edstrom Worldwide, +1-503-443-7070,
rrt@waggeneredstrom.com