Congratulations To Imagine Cup Finalists

Imagine Cup is an annual student technology competition begun in 2002 in which teams of high school and college students use their creativity, passion, and knowledge of technology to design solutions that make a difference in their own local communities and around the world.

As with last year’s contest, students have been challenged to come up with innovative solutions focused on the UN’s Millennium Development Goals, including healthcare, education, and environmental sustainability.  Recently, 10 United States finalists in each of in the Software Design and Game Design categories were announced, and they include two teams from right here in New England! 

Both of these teams, highlighted below, will advance to the US finals in Washington DC from April 24th – 26th for a chance to win a top prize of $8000.  If you happen to be in the DC area then (it is school vacation for many of us in the Northeast), consider attending the 2010 US Imagine Cup Community Showcase being held at the Newseum.

Team AwesomeSauce, Tufts University

Their entry, “Nanobots”, is a multi-player XNA game which simulates microscopic robots equipped to combat disease and heal the body from within.  A YouTube video is worth a thousand words, so take a look:

Coffee-Powered Altruism, Yale University

This team created Alterra, a strategy game that puts you in charge of the development budget for a country or region. You decide how to reduce childhood mortality, control population growth, and increase economic prosperity.  Combining long-term strategy and fast-paced fun, you will stop a Malaria outbreak, improve the education of a population, and foster sustainable environmentalism, all while managing your funds.