Over the years, the Microsoft Imagine Cup has empowered young founders to build startups, scale projects, and create technologies that improve everyday lives.
In 2026, the Imagine Cup continues its mission: to inspire students to innovate, validate, and accelerate their ideas using Microsoft’s trusted AI ecosystem.
Why Compete in the Imagine Cup?
Participating in the Imagine Cup offers students unique opportunities that go beyond winning prizes.
- Visibility & Credibility: Gain recognition on a global stage.
- Mentorship: Access guidance from industry experts and Microsoft professionals.
- Resources: Unlock tools like GitHub Copilot, Replit’s AI workspace, and Azure credits.
- Community: Join a network of changemakers passionate about solving real-world problems.
- Impact: Build solutions that address pressing challenges in education, healthcare, cybersecurity, and more.
Key Partnerships
Imagine Cup collaborates with leading platforms to empower student founders:
- GitHub Education
- Access to the world’s largest open-source community (180M developers).
- AI-assisted coding with GitHub Copilot.
- Student Developer Pack with enterprise-grade resources.
- Replit
- AI-powered, in-browser workspace.
- Prototype, test, and publish apps quickly.
- Natural language chat with AI to accelerate development.
Together, these partnerships help students prototype faster, iterate smarter, and scale confidently.
Competition Categories
Students can choose a category that inspires them or define their own challenge.
- Cybersecurity: AI-driven solutions to protect digital ecosystems.
- Education: Tools that personalize learning and improve outcomes.
- Financial Services: Innovations in mobile wallets, fraud detection, and accessibility.
- Health & Life Sciences: AI for faster diagnoses, research acceleration, and better patient care.
- Retail & Consumer Goods: Agentic AI to optimize supply chains and personalize customer experiences.
Roadmap to Imagine Cup 2026
Here’s how you can join the journey:
- Register to Compete: Sign up for the Imagine Cup 2026 competition.
- Unlock Azure Benefits: Receive $1,000 USD in free Azure credits and tools.
- Check the Student Hub: Access resources, expert guidance, and support.
- Submit Your Entry: Final submissions are due by January 9, 2026.
Eligibility: Open to enrolled high school or college/university students aged 18+.
The Pillars of Imagine Cup
Every founder’s journey is unique, but Imagine Cup frames the path with three milestones:
- Innovate: Spark bold ideas that tackle real challenges.
- Validate: Test solutions with mentors and industry experts.
- Accelerate: Scale projects with Microsoft’s ecosystem and global visibility.
Past Champions
Imagine Cup has crowned world champions who went on to transform industries:
- 2025: Team Argus – World Champion.
- 2024: Team FROM YOUR EYES (Turkey).
- 2023: Team TAWI (Kenya).
- 2022: Team V Bionic (Saudi Arabia).
- 2021: Team REWEBA (Kenya).
- 2020: Team Hollo (Hong Kong SAR).
These success stories prove that student-led innovation can achieve global impact.
Why Imagine Cup Matters
The Imagine Cup is not just about competition, it’s about building what’s next.
- Bold startups often begin with small sparks.
- Students gain the tools and mentorship to turn sparks into breakthroughs.
- Alumni have raised funding, won recognition, and created solutions that improve lives.
The Imagine Cup 2026 is your chance to dream big, build fearlessly, and make tech matter. Whether you’re passionate about healthcare, education, cybersecurity, or consumer innovation, this competition provides the platform, mentorship, and resources to bring your vision to life.
Register today, explore the Student Hub, submit your entry before January 9, 2026.
Your journey to innovation starts here. Apply now.
