http://odili.net/news/source/2008/jul/6/201.html

Three hundred and seventy students, in 124 teams from 61 countries, including Nigeria, are participating in the sixth edition of the finals of the ‘World Cup of Software’, known as Imagine Cup competition, which began on Friday in Paris.

It is the world’s premier student technology competition, organised by Microsoft Corporation to encourage young people to apply their imagination, passion and creativity to technology innovations that can make a difference in the world today.

Two hundred thousand students from over 100 countries and regions registered for this year’s contest.

Working around the theme for this year’s contest: ‘Imagine a world where technology enables a sustainable environment’, the students are competing across nine categories: Software Design, Embedded Development, Game Deve-lopment, “Project Hoshimi” (Programming Battle), IT Challenge, Algorithm, Photography, Short Film and Interface Design for a total of $240, 000 in prize money.

The national champion, a three-man team of University of Lagos (UNILAG) students is representing Nigeria in the Software Design category with a project called ‘CarBurn’, which seeks to address global warming. It is part of a proposed framework that is made of three components that work together to create better environmental conditions.

The components are the chip firmware, the Web service, and the data centre. It is the country’s first appearance in the contest.

President of Microsoft International, Jean Philippe Courtois said he was amazed to see how the competition had grown since the first edition was held in Barcelona six years ago with only the Software Design.

Deputy Mayor of Paris, in charge of Innovation, Research and Universities, Jean-Louis Missika, who opened the competition along with Courtois, said it was a great day, not only because the Imagine Cup was taking off, but also because Ingrid Betancourt, the French-Columbian hostage, was back home.

Winners will be announced on Tuesday as part of the Imagine Cup World Festival closing ceremonies.