By Emeka Aginam,  in Seattle, Washington

Thrilled  by  the innovative solutions presented by no fewer than 120  best students from 34 countries around the world, the Chief Executive Officer of Microsoft,  Satya Nadella  during an award ceremony  at the just concluded   2016 Microsoft Imagine Cup competition  held  in Seattle, Washington, the United States of  America  , has challenged the  students to change the world with digital technology.

•From left: Ayodele Obasegun, Victor Shoaga, Blessing Oyatope and Babatunde Otaru setting up their project for presentation before Microsoft judges in Seattle, Washington at the just concluded 2016 Imagine Cup worldwide finals. Photo by Emeka Aginam.

Microsoft’s Imagine Cup is the world’s most prestigious student technology competition, bringing together student innovators from all over the world.

This is even as   Team ENTy in the innovation category from Romania took  the place as the 2016 Imagine Cup World Champion winner. Teams from Thailand, Romania and Greece were the three top teams that moved to championship round after which team ENTy from Romania took the place as the World Champion. With this development, Microsoft  has  crowned  team ENTy the  Imagine Cup  World Champion. This will give the  wining students the opportunity to  have one on one mentorship  with the Microsoft Chief Executive Officer, CEO, Satya Nadella.

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“Think about your passions, what keeps them up at night. Imagine the future and connect that future you imagine to your core. “In a world like this where digital technology is having an impact in every walk of life, in every country, you are the ones who are going to help us everywhere move our economies, move our societies, and then also make sure the dividends we create out of digital technology is actually more evenly spread in the world”, the Microsoft  CEO who was full of excitement  told the 35 teams that participated at the Imagine Cup worldwide finals at the home of Microsoft, Redmond, the United States of America.

Urging the smartest students to take their products to the market to solve many issues including health, environment, social, among others, he said with optimism that the students have the chance to difference in the world with digital technology.

“Technology is evolving. Technology is changing the world. Use technology solutions to your communities. Use your passion. This is the beginning of your success.  Everybody is a winner. I want Imagine to open more opportunities for you. Make contacts”, the Microsoft CEO added.

ENTy is a wearable device that tracks inner ear balance and spinal posture and tell users if they are having balance or posture issues. Team ENTy’s project is an app for monitoring balance and posture. The team’s members include Flavia Oprea, Iulian-Razvan Matesica and Cristian Alexandrescu.

Speaking with excitement, the Romanian team leader, Iulian-Razvan Matesica while expressing appreciation to Microsoft for the opportunity to participate in the Imagine Cup assured that they will take their project to the market.

“We did not know we could do it. We are going to launch it and get medical certificate for the product. This will help deliver the products to the hospital. But we need angel investors and seed fund to scale up the solution” she said. For Steve Guggenheimer, Corporate Vice President and Chief Evangelist, Microsoft, every student who participated in the worldwide finals  was a winner. “We all have amazing solutions that can change the world.  You have made us proud. Use the solution to make a difference in the world. This is just the beginning”, he said.

Although Team Nigeria from  Obefemi  Awolowo University , OAU,  Ile-Ife did not advance to  World Championship round  despite their impressive outing, the good news is that they were among the 8 teams nominated for Ability award.  Good news is that Nigeria is the only country from West African flying the region’s flag here in the United States of America.  I is a positive signal that software Nigeria can compete globally if given the opportunity.

PH21, a team of students studying computer engineering at Chulalongkorn University in Thailand took home the prize in the games category. Their puzzle-based game, Timelie, centers around  a woman who steals a device that can see into the future, and a young girl whose ability to manipulate time was used to create the device.

Team AMANDA, engineering students from Aristotle University of Thessaloníki in Greece, won in the world citizenship category. Their project uses an ICT approach to identify characteristics that might make someone a bully and give psychologists tools to intervene.

This year’s finalists were trimmed from 150 teams to 35  that  advanced from national finals events. The final round of the contest was held at Garfield High School at the weekend, featuring special guest judges. It would be recalled that the  final leg of the nearly year-long Imagine Cup journey began on Wednesday, last week when 35 teams from 34 countries around the globe competed in front of Microsoft  judges for the top three spots in the Games, Innovation and World Citizenship categories.