- The teams will represent Oman in Microsoft Imagine Cup Pan Arab Semi-Finals 2016
- Omantel, Strategic Partner for the 5th consecutive edition of Microsoft Imagine Cup Oman
- Microsoft Imagine Cup Oman 2016 witnessed the first participation of High School students ever; two teams won the local title in their respective category
Muscat, Sultanate of Oman – 19th April 2016
“Team Mind Code” in the Innovation category, “Team YOLO” in the World Citizenship category and “Team WeOm” in the Games category were announced winners of Microsoft Imagine Cup Oman and will be travelling to Cairo between 27th and 29th May 2016 to represent the Sultanate of Oman in the Pan-Arab Semi-Finals 2016. The 7th local round of Microsoft Imagine Cup Oman was organized in a strategic partnership between Microsoft and Omantel, and the support of Information Technology Authority (ITA).
The announcement came during the closing event of Microsoft Imagine Cup Oman 2016 attended by representatives from Omantel, ITA and Microsoft, the judging panel, the participating teams; in addition to esteemed guests, media and students.
Over 25 teams have submitted their projects in the initial phase of the Competition with 6 teams qualifying for the local finals. During the final round of Microsoft Imagine Cup Oman 2016, the 6 shortlisted teams presented their projects in front of a live audience and a judging panel consisting of an array of industry experts representing Microsoft Imagine Cup’s local partners and supporters, as well as a representative of Microsoft Oman, Omantel, Riyada and ITA. Microsoft Imagine Cup Oman 2016 saw the participation of the youngest contestants representing high schools and racing their way to the final rounds of the local Competition. Two teams “Team YOLO” and “Team MindCode” won the Oman title in their categories.
Congratulating the winning teams on their success, Country General Manager for Microsoft Oman and Bahrain Sherif Tawfik said “We congratulate the winners and commend the enthusiasm of all participants who spared no efforts during the different rounds of the Competition leading to the semi-final and final rounds.” He said “Microsoft Imagine Cup competition comes in line with Microsoft’s mission to empower every organization and every person in the world to achieve more; it also aims to give young people a competitive advantage in the workplace and the opportunity to use their innovation to help take emerging markets forward.” Mr. Tawfik expressed his appreciation to Microsoft Imagine Cup’s long-term strategic partner ‘Omantel’ for their outstanding efforts throughout the Competition. He also praised the support of ‘ITA’, and applauded the collaboration of the local educational institutions and their contribution in the success of the Competition.
Microsoft Imagine Cup, the world’s premier technology competition for students from all academic background, aims to inspire student around the world to create innovative solutions that change the way we live, work and play while also growing the skills they need to pursue a future in technology.
Commenting on this announcement, Omantel’s Chief Executive Officer, Talal Bin Saeed Bin Marhoon Al Mamari congratulated the winners and encouraged them to continue their hard work towards finalizing their projects and enhance their presentation and communication skills in preparation for Microsoft Imagine Cup Pan Arab Semi-Finals in Cairo with the aim to represent the Sultanate of Oman in the best way possible. He reiterated Omantel’s commitment to motivate youth to innovate and enter the entrepreneurship sector, he said “We are pleased to join efforts with Microsoft to bring Imagine Cup to Oman for another year. Throughout the past editions, Microsoft Imagine Cup helped identified a number of innovative and creative young Omanis who shone, competed against other teams and raised the Sultanate’s flag in the Arab World and beyond. We are so proud of them and we feel obliged to support these young talents and encourage others to think out of the box, create new applications and showcase their capabilities.” Mr. Al Mamari expressed his appreciation to Microsoft and applauded their efforts in offering the Omani youth the chance to participate in such global initiative, learn about the latest technology innovations, develop their skills and compete on a local, regional and international level.
Over the course of the last few months, Microsoft and Omantel held a series of coaching session to introduce the participants to the competition rules and regulations, provide them with the knowledge and skills set they need during the Competition and beyond.
Dr. Salim Bin Sultan Al Ruzaiqi, the CEO of the Information Technology Authority (ITA) expressed his satisfaction with the finals results, he said “The ideas and projects presented in this year’s edition of Microsoft Imagine Cup Oman highlighted on the skills and potentials of our Omani youth in the sector of Information and Communication Technology and their capability to innovate and propose solutions to issues our world is facing today.” Dr. Salim commended Microsoft’s continued efforts to provide the youth in Oman with the latest technology innovations and global expertise and encourage them to innovate, create and venture into the entrepreneurial world.
The Microsoft Imagine Cup Oman 2016 Final round judging panel included Ms. Huda Al Habsi, General Manager of Information Technology, Omantel; Mr. Khalid Al Haribi, Deputy CEO, Public Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises (Riyada); Mr. Khalid Hamed Hamood Al Kharusi, Director General of IT & Awareness Division, ITA and Mr. Imran Al Akhzami, Public Sector Account Manager, Microsoft.
The three winning teams of Microsoft Imagine Cup Oman 2016 will join more than 30 Arab teams, between 27th and 29th May in Cairo – Egypt, to compete for the Microsoft Imagine Cup Pan Arab 2016 title and the chance to represent the Arab Nation at the Worldwide Finals taking place in Seattle this summer.
About the winning teams / projects
Microsoft Imagine Cup Oman 2016 offered participants the opportunity to compete in the following competitions:
- The Innovation category honors applications that give consumers inspiration and innovation at their fingertips with Microsoft tools and technology. Team Mind Code from Hail Alawamer Public School, won with their project LightBulb.
Project LightBulb is a platform that aims to help people to network, share ideas and create potential business partnerships. LightBulb aims to be the platform that joins creative minds and companies and business owners with the aim to improve the World.
Team Mind Code includes: Jawhara Hamood Nasser AlWardi and Sara Ahmed Salim AlHosni
Commenting on their win, Team Mind Code said “We are super exited to have won the Microsoft Imagine Cup Oman finals and we will do our best to represent Oman in the best way at the Pan-Arab Semi-Finals in Cairo and raise the Omani flag in Seattle during the Worldwide Finals. We believe that LightBulb is an idea that is completely able to inspire people and create a better world for us to live in.”
- The Games category honors the most engaging and entertaining games targeting teens and youth, built on Microsoft platforms. In this category, WeOm Team, from Sultan Qaboos University, won with their project Gaming Suite for Autism Curing.
Gaming Suite for Autism Curing project is an interactive game that uses Augmented Reality with the aim to help children with Autism interact with the world.
WeOm Team includes: Aya Salam Al- Thuhlie, Abdulrahman Ali Al-Ghafri, Said Zahran Al- Harrasi and Mouza Khalifa Al-Sharyani, and the Team’s mentor, Mr. Issa Hamood Al-Sumri.
For their part, WeOm Team said “We wanted to use Technology to help children with Autism and give them a chance to a normal life alongside their peers; we came up with the Gaming Suite for Autism Curing.” They added “We can’t express our happened and level of excitement, we are extremely pleased to have finally reached this level and hope to make Oman proud of us as we represent the Sultanate at the Pan Arab Semi-Finals 2016.”
- And the World Citizenship category honors the software applications developed on Microsoft platforms with the greatest potential to make a positive impact on humanity; the winner is YOLO Team, a hybrid team from Um Alkhair and Omar Bin Alkhatab Basic Education Schools.
Team YOLO’s project, ERMTApp, is an edutainment app that helps children with Epilepsy fit better in the society. Through games and quizzes ERMTApp is an easy to use and children friendly application available in multiple languages with voice prompts that aims to help children with epilepsy build cognitive skills.
YOLO Team consists of: Shamma Salam Salim Altobi, Shahad Saif Suliman Alamri and AlMutasim Malik Fadhil Alamri.
“We are glad to have won the Microsoft Imagine Cup Oman 2016 local finals,” said YOLO Team. “Our project ERMTApp comes in line with our belief that people suffering from Epilepsy are not disable but they are differently able, and we hope our application will help them improve their lives and change the society’s perception.” They added “We will do our best while representing Oman in the Pan Arab Semi-Finals and move to the Worldwide Finals in Seattle. We are here to win!”
About Imagine Cup
Microsoft Imagine Cup, a cornerstone of the Microsoft YouthSpark initiative, is the World’s premier student technology program and competition targeting students between the ages of 16 and 26 years old from all academic backgrounds. Students partaking in Microsoft Imagine Cup competition often participate in other YouthSpark programs such as DreamSpark and the Microsoft Student Partner (MSP) program to help build their skillset, further develop their projects and help bring their ideas to life. DreamSpark, also a part of the Microsoft YouthSpark initiative, provides professional developer tools and resources to students at no cost; students participating in Microsoft Imagine Cup utilize the resources available to them through DreamSpark to help further develop their projects on Microsoft Platforms.
Since its inception in 2003, a significant number of Arab teams made their way to the first 3 winners in the Worldwide Finals: In 2014, 2 Arab teams won recognitions at the Worldwide Finals: Butterfly Team from Bahrain won 3rd Place in the Innovation category, Team Illogic from Egypt won 3rd place in the Games category.
Many Arab teams, and participants, have won challenge awards such as RELOAD from Algeria and Team Learn n’ Earn from Lebanon won the Visual Studio Online Boost award (2014); Videolator Team from Egypt won App Fast Track Award (2013); Vivid Team from Egypt won 1st place in Windows Phone Challenge (2012), Sherif Talaat from Egypt won 2nd place of the IT Challenge (2012), The Klein Team from Algeria won 3rd place in Azure Challenge (2012), The "Brothers Forever" Team from Oman won 2nd place in Digital Media category (2011).
For more information about Microsoft Imagine Cup, please visit: www.imaginecup.com
