Microsoft Imagine Cup

Overview

Microsoft Imagine Cup is Microsoft's annual competition for student founders building a startup on its technology stack. Teams submit a working project, advance through judging rounds and pitch at a global final, where Microsoft names the year's top student ventures. It now sits closer to a startup programme than a coding contest: categories point at real industry problems, mentors work with shortlisted teams, and the support on offer leans on Microsoft for Startups and GitHub. A prototype with no users is a weak entry; judges look for evidence of demand.

Who it's for

It suits enrolled university students who already have a team and something running: a prototype, a pilot, or an early product with a few users. Computer science is not required, but the build should use Microsoft's cloud and AI services, since that is what the programme showcases. Teams treating it as a hackathon entry rather than a company often stall before the final. Check the current rules for student status and team size.

What you get

Shortlisted teams get mentoring, technical guidance and visibility inside Microsoft's developer and startup ecosystem, and finalists pitch to a global audience. Prize packages and support change between editions, so read what the current cycle offers rather than relying on older coverage. The durable value is the deadline itself: it forces a customer definition, a price and a demo that works without someone talking over it.

How to apply

Create an account on the official site and submit the project as the current cycle asks: what it does, who it is for, which Microsoft technologies it uses, and a demo showing the thing running. Judging narrows written submissions to shortlisted teams, then semifinalists, then a final pitch. Mentors review progress between rounds and can redirect the product. Read the rules for each stage's artefacts, and treat the demo video as the main deliverable, because most judges will meet your product through it.

Timing

Annual. One cycle per year: submissions open months before the final and the next edition is previewed between cycles. Microsoft shifts the calendar between editions, so confirm the current window, categories and round dates on the official page instead of planning from last year's schedule.

How to stand out

Build on the services the programme is promoting and say so in the first line of the submission; a project that could run anywhere reads as a poor fit. Show one number that proves use — active teams, tasks completed, revenue — and explain how you got it. Record the demo on a clean machine with a stable connection, because a broken video cannot be rescued by a good idea. Ask your campus Microsoft community which category recent finalists entered.

FAQ