Abu Dhabi: Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development and Microsoft have successfully organised the UAE Imagine Cup 2023. The UAE winners were Ms. Wadima Alkaabi and Ms. Marwa Almazrouei of the project Piezoelectric-Based Energy Source Model for Street Lights.
The winners will further compete in a global contest, where the grand prize includes a sit-down with Microsoft’s CEO Satya Nadella and a cash reward of US$100,000 (AED360,000), along with mentorship from Ms. Alia Al Mazrouei, CEO of the Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development.
We are thrilled to see the exceptional talent and innovation that the Imagine Cup has brought to the forefront once again this year. Congratulations to the Piezoelectric Based Energy Source Model for Street Lights project, for winning the UAE phase of the competition, and we look forward to seeing their continued success as they represent the UAE on the world stage.
Ms. Alia Al Mazrouei, CEO of Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development, shared.
Mr. Ihab Foudeh, General Manager Public Sector, Microsoft MENA, commented that “at Microsoft, we believe that a thriving and sustainable economy is based on a strong national talent pool. Imagine Cup is all about fueling sustainable innovation around the world. By honing their STEM talents and soft skills, they learn collaboration and the value of teamwork. Now Piezoelectric-Based Energy Source Model for Street Lights, under the tutelage of Ms. Alia Al Mazrouei, will get to see just how far their vision can take them as they head for the international stage.”
In the UAE, the Imagine Cup was open to Emirati students aged 18 and above who were actively enrolled in any educational program. Microsoft received applications from 233 teams and narrowed it down to the top six teams for the UAE National Finals.
In the World Finals, the UAE team will compete against 48 winning teams from national heats around the world for the grand prize.
Imagine Cup is an international competition in which STEM-talented high school and college students bring their ideas to life through coding, collaboration, and competition. It was designed as a forum for students with an interest in technology to make a real-world impact with their solutions.