Students take part in Microsoft Imagine Cup Innovation Showcase

Microsoft held a student innovation showcase as part of Microsoft Imagine Cup 2015 at their Sandyford headquarters.

Students from Ireland who are participating in the online finals of Microsoft Imagine Cup, the world’s premier student technology competition, were invited to participate and present their idea.

Over 70 students from colleges including Cork IT, Dundalk IT, Dublin IT, Galway-Mayo IT, IT Carlow, Limerick IT, Maynooth University, Queens & University of Ulster attended the event demonstrating that a culture of invention and innovation is alive in Ireland.

Teams successful in the online finals will advance to the World Semifinals.  Later in the year, Microsoft Imagine Cup World Finals will take place with a top prize of US $50,000.

Speaking today, Cathriona Hallahan, Managing Director at Microsoft Ireland, said: “Well done to all the teams who took part today and demonstrated their creativity and technical awareness. For 30 years, Microsoft has had a presence in Ireland, and there is no question that now more than ever before a culture of innovation is blossoming in Ireland and these students and their Microsoft Imagine Cup projects are proof of that.”

Irish teams have had a lot of recent success in the Microsoft Imagine Cup, with NUI Maynooth students Matthew McCann, KC Grant and Jack Gallagher achieving a third place win in the World Citizenship category in the world finals of the Microsoft Imagine Cup in Seattle in 2014. Meanwhile, earlier this year, Team Rapid Response, a team of students from Cork Institute of Technology, won the World Citizenship category of the 2015 Microsoft Imagine Cup Pitch Video Challenge.

For further details around the Microsoft Imagine Cup log on to www.imaginecup.com.