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| Group pix of representatives of sponsors at the just concluded Microsoft Imagine Cup 2013 in Lagos. |
The
first private undersea fiber optic cable into Nigeria and Ghana, MainOne Cable
Company, has restated its support for local software innovation, hence it
partnered Microsoft in the Imagine Cup competition 2013.
ITRealms gathered that Imagine Cup contest is a premier student technology challenge on
innovative production of various applications deployable on computers and
mobile devices that are original in concept to marketplace with Microsoft
resources.
And
as part of Microsoft’s YouthSpark initiative, it is a way for young entrepreneurs,
innovators and developers to have the opportunity to develop an idea, create a
product, set a clear business plan and eventually take their product to market.
ITRealms also
gathered that all Imagine Cup Worldwide Finalist teams are eligible to apply
for Imagine Cup Grants,
a three year USD3-million investment by Microsoft to help students turn their
ideas into reality. Microsoft
BizSpark, another YouthSpark initiative, enables Imagine Cup participants to
launch startup businesses in their communities and across the web.
As
part of the sponsorship, Main One was the sole bandwidth sponsor, providing 20 MEG
of broadband capacity to the event for live-streaming.
The
National finals of the competition, and the Stakeholders’ Forum, which held at
a prestigious location in Victoria Island, had in attendance over 80 students
with participants competing for a place in the worldwide finals, previously
hosted in Spain, Brazil, Japan, India, Korea, France, Egypt, Poland, USA and Australia,
now to be held in St. Petersburg, Russia from July 8 to 11, 2013.
In
total, 12 teams from Nigeria competed during a challenging day of
presentations, which brought together students from universities across the
country with Team Life Saver emerging winner, which interestingly, cut across
two of Nigeria’s foremost tertiary institutions, Obafemi Awolowo University and
Ladoke Akintola University of Technology.
The
team will represent
Nigeria at the global finals where the lucky winner stands the opportunity to
win $300,000 prize.
Speaking
to ITRealms
at the event, Head, Marketing at Main One Cable, Mrs. Jumoke Akande, noted that
new technologies have rapidly changed businesses, socio-political landscapes
and the lives of consumers in Nigeria, Africa as a whole, and other parts of
the world, and the speed of adoption is inspiring.
“Main
One has consistently recognized the opportunities software development,
especially indigenous, will play in this critical phase of Nigeria’s human
development, and supported the equipping of young people with necessary
technology competencies, to put the future of our nation in their hands” she
said.
In
his remarks, National Technology Officer, Microsoft Anglophone West Africa, Mr.
Yinka Oni, said “Each team that competed
in the regional finals is deserving of the highest recognition for the
creativity and imagination applied to some of the world’s biggest challenges.
We’re proud to honour these young students who we believe truly exemplify the
spirit of the Imagine Cup competition, and we’ll be cheering Team Life Saver on as they compete on the world stage in St
Petersburg”.
As
said by him, Imagine Cup is directly aligned with the Microsoft
4Afrika Initiative that was launched earlier this year as it drives access
to technology, innovation and world-class skills.
“We
believe deeply that technology can accelerate growth for Africa, and Africa can
also accelerate technology for the world, and we are honoured to engage with
these young people to help bring their innovative ideas to fruition,” he said.
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