PLEASE NOTE: If you choose to submit an entry in this Competition, then you agree that your participation in this Competition is subject to the following:

• The Imagine Cup Rules and Regulations posted at: /Competition/Rules-Regulations.aspx

• The Imagine Cup Design Competition Details described below.

If there are any inconsistencies between the Imagine Cup Rules and Regulations, the Imagine Cup Terms of Use, the Imagine Cup Code of Conduct and/or this Competition, the Imagine Cup Rules and Regulations will govern.

WHAT ARE THE START AND END DATES?

This Competition started at 12:01 AM Greenwich Mean Time (“GMT”) on August 29, 2008, and ends in July 2009 (“Entry Period”). The Entry Period consists of the three (3) Rounds described below. All required entry deliverables must be received within the designated Round in order to be eligible for judging. At the end of Round 2, up to six (6) of the top Teams will be selected to advance to compete in Round 3 on-site at the Worldwide Finals in Cairo, Egypt in July 2009.

HOW DO I REGISTER?

The Registration Period began on August 29, 2008 at 12:01 AM GMT, and ends on March 1, 2009, at 11:59 PM GMT (“Registration Period”).

If you wish to participate in this Competition, you must register at www.imaginecup.com as instructed during the Registration Period either individually, or as a member of a Team. If you wish to register as an individual, at time of registration, you will need to create a Team and join it as an individual. If you wish to register as a member of a Team, at time of registration, you must identify your Team. You cannot change Teams or otherwise remove yourself or anyone else from you Team after the close of the Registration Period.

A team may consist of up to two (2) eligible students (each, a “Team”). Your Team does not need to consist of members who are legal residents of the same country/region, or students at the same school, but your Team can only represent one (1) country/region. It is recommended, but not required, that you have one (1) mentor for your Team, in addition to your two (2) Team members. Limit one (1) mentor per Team.

WHAT CONSTITUTES AN ELIGIBILE ENTRY?

Each Round has unique entry requirements, as described below. All required entry deliverables must be received within the designated Round in order for your entry to be eligible for judging.

Round 1 - Qualifying
During Round 1, your Team must create and submit the materials described below:

• A depiction of your design solution idea in visual form, submitted as an electronic file less than 25 MB in size in the Microsoft PowerPoint format, or other standard image display format (.jpeg, .gif, etc.)

• A short description (100 words maximum) of your design, submitted as an electronic file in the .txt format.

Round 2 – Semi-Finals
During Round 2, your Team (if you are invited to advance to compete in Round 2) must create and submit the materials described below:

• A final, fully implemented version of your design solution.

  • Your implementation of the design solution must use at least one of the following Microsoft Expression products.

    • Expression Studio

    • Expression Blend

    • Expression Web

    • Expression Media

    • Expression Design

    • Expression Encoder

• A video presentation of your design solution (2 minutes maximum), submitted as an electronic file less than 50 MB in size.

• A description (300 words maximum) of how your design solution addresses the Imagine Cup 2009 Theme, submitted as an electronic file in the .txt format.

Round 3 – Worldwide Finals
During Round 3, your Team (if you are invited to advance to compete in Round 3) will compete in a Round 3 Challenge. Your participation in the Round 3 Challenge will be subject to the Round 3 Challenge Details that we will establish and provide to you on-site at the Worldwide Finals.

CONTENT AND TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS

In addition to the unique entry requirements for each Round described above, during all Rounds of this competition, your entry / entry materials must meet the following content and technical requirements

• Your entry must address a social cause connected to the Imagine Cup 2009 Theme: “Imagine a world where technology helps solve the toughest problems facing us today”

• The actual entry may be localized in any language; however, if you are required to make an oral presentation or provide supporting entry materials, these presentations and materials must be presented and/or submitted in the English language.

HOW DO I SUBMIT MY ENTRY?

To submit your entry for Round 1 navigate to, register for the Design Development competition as an individual, or as a member of a Team, and then submit the required entry materials as instructed before the close of the Round 1 deadline

To submit your entry for Round 2, navigate to and submit the required entry materials as instructed before the close of the Round 2 deadline.

We will provide instructions for how to submit your required entry materials for Round 3

ENTRY LIMIT

We will only accept one (1) entry per Team.

HOW WILL ENTRIES BE JUDGED?
Round 1 – Qualifying
At the conclusion of the Round 1 Entry Period, all eligible entries received will be reviewed by a panel (or panels) of qualified judges based on the judging criteria set forth below to determine up to two hundred (200) of the top Teams (each, a “Semi-Finalist”) that will advance to compete in Round 2 of the competition.

Round 1 Judging Criteria

• 20% Theme: How imaginatively does the design solution idea address the 2009 Imagine Cup Theme?

• 20% Innovation: How creative and innovative is the design solution idea?

• 20% Social Impact: How well does the design solution idea solve the end user problem?

• 20% Design Resolution: How promising is the design solution idea technically?

• 20% Presentation: How clear and persuasive is the visual and written submission?

Round 2- Semi-Finals
At the conclusion of the Round 2 Entry Period, all eligible entries received will be reviewed by a panel (or panels) of qualified judges based on the judging criteria set forth below to determine up to six (6) of the top Teams (each, a “Finalist”) that will advance to compete at the Worldwide Finals.

Round 2 Judging Criteria

• 20% Theme: How imaginatively does the design solution address the 2009 Imagine Cup Theme?

• 20% Innovation: How creative and innovative is the design solution?

• 20% Social Impact: How well does the design solution idea solve the end user problem?

• 20% Design Resolution: How compelling and convincing is the design solution technically?

• 20% Presentation: How clear and persuasive is the visual, video and written submission?

Round 3 - Worldwide Finals
At the conclusion of Round 3, all eligible entries received will be reviewed by a panel (or panels) of qualified judges based on the judging criteria set forth in the Round 3 Challenge Details that we will establish and provide to you on-site at the Worldwide Finals to determine the First, Second and Third Places Teams.

PRIZES

Six (6) Finalist Prizes. All Finalists will receive a trip to Cairo, Egypt to compete in the Worldwide Imagine Cup 2009 Finals. Trip includes round trip air travel, hotel accommodations and select meals.

• One (1) First Place Prize: $8,000 USD

• One (1) Second Place Prize: $4,000 USD

• One (1) Third Place Prize: $3,000 USD

All prizes will be awarded provided a qualified number of entries are received.