‘Imagine Cup 2020’ launched for youthful innovators

Islamabad :The Higher Education Commission (HEC) and Microsoft Pakistan launched ‘Microsoft Imagine Cup 2020’ during an event hosted at HEC here on Monday. Imagine Cup is an annual global technology competition that brings the young technologists together to play their part in resolving some of the world’s toughest challenges.

Federal Minister of Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry, Special Advisor to PM on youth affairs Usman Dar, HEC Chairman Tariq Banuri, Microsoft Country General Manager Abid Zaidi and Microsoft Country Education Lead Jibran Jamshad attended the ceremony.

Started in 2003, the Imagine Cup serves as a platform for teams to present their solutions to the world. It is an ideal opportunity for youthful innovators from around the world to express their imagination, bring ideas to life, and walk away with $100,000. The competition will be streamed live on HEC’s EDUTV with a massive online reach across the country and will advocate inclusiveness and equal access to opportunities to youth across the nation.

This year, HEC, through the Prime Minister’s Kamyab Jawan Initiative, is bringing the programme to Pakistan in collaboration with Microsoft via a programme designed to facilitate the government’s vision of empowering youth to realize their full potential individually and collectively, to contribute effectively to the development processes and to play their role in digital economy.

Speaking on the occasion, Fawad Chaudhry said, “The link between education, attainment and economic growth has never been clearer. Around the world, the communities where educational excellence is a high priority, create maximum economic opportunities. The foundation for sustainable economic growth for the future is being laid, through this initiative.”

Tariq Banuri said, the Imagine Cup is all about innovation, transformation and what comes next. The programme empowers students to use their creativity to address real societal problems through technology. “We have seen innovative ideas coming in; students who have been participating have gone on to establish their own startups that are now becoming multi-million dollar companies. I am sure our students will bring laurels for Pakistan,” he said.