Thai Students Scoop Gold in Worldwide Microsoft Imagine Cup 2012 Finals in Australia

The ‘Tang Thai’ Team from Mahidol University in Bangkok won the grand prize in the Game Design category at the 10th annual Imagine Cup, the world’s premier student technology competition organized by Microsoft Corp. Thailand has herewith become the first country worldwide to win three grand prizes and one 1st runner-up award.

The winners were announced on 10th July 2012 at the Imagine Cup World Festival and Awards Ceremony at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre, in front of 106 student teams. The event was the culmination of a five-day celebration of technology, teamwork and innovation.

More than 350 students from 75 countries traveled to Sydney after competing in local and online events, representing the best and brightest selected to compete in the Imagine Cup Worldwide Finals. Cash prizes totalling approximately $175,000 (U.S.) were awarded across eight competition categories.

Representatives from Thailand are the Tang Thai team in the Game Design competition and Novitat team in the Software Design competition. Both teams were chosen after winning the Thailand Imagine Cup 2012, which was sponsored by KASIKORNBANK (KBank), Nokia Thailand and Chanwanich.

 

The ‘Tang Thai’ team from Mahidol University in Bangkok, comprising of Krittinun Sirodom, Chanakarn Chinchatchawal, Sirisak Nakaviwat and Panawut Poungsil, won the award and US$ 8,000 prize money from the Game Design competition with its ‘Verdant Fantasy’ game. The real-time strategy game is developed to raise awareness among children for deforestation. Players need to command and support their comrades, the forest animals, in order to stop and chase out the evil robots who want to cut and burn the forest.

Krittinun Sirodom of the winning team said: "We are very very happy. We had some hope to win a prize, but this is much better. All the hard work we have put in the project for the last eight months, has now paid off.”

Dr. Srisupa Palakvongha Na Ayudhya, mentor of the students, said: "I am delighted and so proud of the team. From day one, when we were selected from ten teams, to being selected with four other teams in the final; it is a great experience and achievement. The team and I have received a lot of positive feedback on how to further improve our program, how to answer to the judges, and the tactics. I am so proud of how the students are willing to improve and listen to all suggestions and comments.”

Birathon Kasemsri Na Ayudhaya, Managing Director, Microsoft (Thailand) said: “Throughout the competition, we have given the team all of our support and would like to congratulate them for the success. When they come back to Thailand, we hope they will inspire their young fellows to develop themselves to become a leader in IT at both local and international level. The Imagine Cup competition is testimony to Microsoft’s on-going commitment to promoting creativity and IT skills amongst young minds, both in Thailand and worldwide.”

 

The ‘Novitat’ team from King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT) competed in Sydney in the Software Design category. Their so-called ‘Smart House’ solution allows for other family members to freely go out to work and not have to worry about their elderly or disabled loved ones. The grand prize in this category went to quadSquad team from Ukraine.

 

Worldwide Winners

The following are the winners in the core Imagine Cup Competitions:

Software Design Students create innovative software, service solutions and real-world applications that unleash the power of technology to benefit their community or, perhaps, the entire planet.

·         First Place: Ukraine, Team: quadSquad

·         Second Place: Japan, Team: Coccolo

·         Third Place: Portugal, Team: wi-Go

Game Design Students select one of two tracks (Phone or Xbox/Windows) to create games that not only are fun but also help to improve the world at the same time.

Xbox/Windows

·         First Place: Thailand, Team: Tang Thai

·         Second Place: Brazil, Team: The Doers

 

·         Third Place: Belgium, Team: Hotfix

Phone

·         First Place: USA, Team: Drexel Dragons

·         Second Place: France, Team: Ecosia

·         Third Place: Hungary, Team: Turtle Games