Microsoft Innovation Center (MIC), Microsoft RA, and the USAID-funded Enterprise Development and Market Competitiveness (EDMC) Project held the Armenian final for Imagine Cup 2013 on April 12, 2013.

After seven 15-minute presentations by competing teams, the Selection Committee announced the Lionsharp Solutions team with their Voiceboard Project as a winner. The project focuses on a Kinect-based voice recognition board that facilitates brainstorming, creative interaction and team discussion through voice and gesture commands. Through EDMC support, Lionsharp Solutions will represent Armenia at the Imagine Cup World Final 2013 in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

The competition was launched on March 20, when student teams of three to four members, 16 years and older, were challenged to develop inventive projects, innovative software applications, and present real-world solutions to real-world problems. Seven applications were submitted by April 8, most of which focused on the innovation category of the contest.

Imagine Cup Armenia aims to help students develop new programming/IT solutions and/or applications to boost innovation and address global issues. The competition gathers the best programming talent in Armenia and provides student teams a great opportunity to demonstrate and enhance their knowledge and skills in finding solutions to real-world problems, developing and bringing their approach to the use of technology and software, getting training and consultation from seasoned professionals, while also getting a chance to compete with their international peers and represent Armenia in the final stage of the Imagine Cup.

During the competition period, MIC Armenia and Microsoft RA teams offered technological and business consultations to each team to help transform their ideas into feasible projects. EDMC support for the Armenian round of the Imagine Cup this year provides the winning team participation in the world final, in an effort to nurture start-up businesses, promote high-tech solutions for other industries, and promote Armenia's high-tech image internationally.

The award ceremony was attended by First Deputy Minister of Economy Karine Minasyan, U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John A.Heffern, representatives of the Armenian IT sector, government, and the international community, including Microsoft RA Director Grigor Barseghyan, Microsoft Innovation Center Project Manager Yeva Hyusyan, and EDMC Project Value Chain Competitiveness Team Leader Fred Levitan.