By Emeka Aginam just back from St. Petersburg, Russia

Running in its 11th year series,  Microsoft Imagine Cup, the world’s premier student programme and competition has been growing from strength to strength, enabling opportunities and preparing  global technology-savvy students to use their ideas and talents to change the world for better.

For one thing, watching closely on  how  student technologists, developers and aspiring entrepreneurs  created   innovative projects and ultimately bringing  those ideas to market at various Imagine Cup competition especially, the just concluded  2013 edition which ended successfully last week in St. Petersburg, Russia, one can say that Imagine Cup experience is a launching pad that helps young software innovators get guidance and be whatever they want to be in life eventually.

Team Nigeria at Imagine CUP: From left, Oluwole Michael, Adewale Adeyinka, Dr. O.T. Arulogun, mentor, Team Nigeria, Afolabi Olamide and Akinlaja Solomon rehearsing before their presentation at the just concluded 2013 Microsoft Imagine student software competition in St. Petersburg, Russia. Photo: Emeka Aginam

Apart from wining awards or prizes at the  premier technology programme and competition for students to learn, build and compete with innovative tools, platforms and services, Imagine Cup  experience has  helped software start-ups to network, learn new skills, showcase their solutions and by extension, get guidance from academic mentors  that will go a long way in making them self reliance in software entrepreneurs in the 21st century knowledge society.

At the event that attracted no fewer than eighty-seven student teams from seventy one countries who had competed in the worldwide finals after winning local and online competitions around the world, Microsoft awarded cash and other prizes valued at more than $1 million throughout the year long Imagine Cup competition, including awards for the winning teams at the worldwide finals that just ended..

Beside students showcase and presentations, there were also learning sessions during the competition where Team Nigeria called Team Life Saver from Obafemi Awolowo University and Ladoke Akintola University of Technology presented an application called CardioLife, which helps prevent heart attacks by monitoring heart readings on the fly via the Microsoft Windows Phone. The project which was lauded by many visitors during showcase provides a rehabilitation programme for stroke patients using the Kinect sensor.

How to get your project funded, how to apply for Imagine Cup grants, applying for a job in the age of social media, how to write an effective business plan, building for both Windows phone and Windows 8, among others issues were dealt during the learning sessions.

Students scramble for Imagine Cup grant:
Meanwhile, during the learning sessions, students were seen making enquirers about how to apply for Imagine Cup grants which will help students actualize their dreams through Microsoft grant, software and invaluable connections. The inquiries  helped students to get information about eligibility, the application process, judging criteria, dates, among others. Speaking earlier in an interview, the General Manager for Audience and Platform Marketing of Microsoft, Kurt Sreek said urged the students to continue to develop product that change the world.

“For the past 11 years, Imagine Cup has been a place of inspiration and innovation for students around the world,”  Steve Guggenheimer, corporate vice president and chief evangelist at Microsoft told the gathering, adding that,  “The students participating in this competition demonstrate the very best in innovation from their home countries and together are creating new apps, innovations and services that will change the way the world works, interacts and learns. We are incredibly proud of the finalists who competed in Imagine Cup this year and stand in awe of the projects and technology they brought forth during this exciting week.”

Every team a winner
“Every Team who has participated at the global finals is a winners. They are all brilliant students. They can change the world with their solution. The survival of 21st century knowledge economy lies in the hands of this students who have devised new ways for people to engage with technology”  Rob Miles, Imagine Cup Competition Captain told Vanguard Hi-Tech after the result was announced  after  four days of showcasing  creative ideas, innovation and passion in technology  by the  brightest technology students around the world at the historic Alexandrinsky Theater in St. Petersburg, Russia, Thursday last week. According to him,  the world will be a better place if all the solutions at the showcase were put to work at least five years down the line.

Ahead with innovation
“My word for the Team is to forge ahead with the innovation. Produce working product to the market. It will save a lot of life, the whole world is waiting for the team lifesaver innovation.

The innovation from Team Nigeria is full of promises to revolutionize cardiovascular related diseases with computing technologies that support remote monitoring and remote rehabilitation.

“I had a wonderful experience, networking with like minds and exploring innovative projects from all over the world,” the mentor of Team Life Saver of Nigeria, Dr. O.T. Arulogun of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, said shortly after the event ended.

African can be globally competitive:
In the opinion of Oluwole Michael, spokesperson for Team Nigeria, Africa has every it takes to be globally competitive. “The evidence has been shown in this Imagine Cup competition. African students especially  Team  Nigeria have amazing solution that can turn the continent around. Our solution CardioLife can save lots of lives. W e will take it to the next level, Michel said with optimsim.