Microsoft tech competition kicks off

For those who have binned their vuvuzelas and lost interest in football following England’s dismal exit from the World Cup, look no further because Microsoft has kicked off an international championship of a different kind – the Imagine Cup, a technology competition for students.

The Cup, which opened in Warsaw, Poland, over the weekend and runs until Thursday, challenges university students from around the world to use their tech skills to address global issues such as poverty and education.

More than 325,000 students from 100 countries entered the competition across nine categories including software design, embedded development and digital media.

Over 400 students from around 70 countries headed to Warsaw for the finals, with each team set to present its project to a judging panel this week.

Microsoft will announce the winners at the World Festival on 8 July.