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Kenya students win 2022 Microsoft Imagine Cup EMEA regional competition

Apr 12, 2022

Sandra Makena and Amanda Flavia, undergraduate students of Dedan Kimathi University of Technology (DeKUT), Nyeri, Kenya, have emerged Earth Category winners of the 2022 Microsoft Imagine Cup Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) regional competition. They are awarded USD2500 cash and USD2500 in Microsoft Azure credits in prizes.

Sandra and Amanda, engineering and computer science students respectively, teamed up to take part in the Microsoft student technology competition. Qualifying as part of 48 teams to the World Finals stage out of thousands of teams from 160 countries. The 48 teams consisted of four other student teams from Kenya, Cameroon and South Africa representing Africa. Five teams from the Middle East and six from Europe, thus 16 finalists from the EMEA region. With Sandra Makena and Amanda Flavia winning in one of the four categories for the EMEA region.

Microsoft Imagine Cup EMEA

The students with the Team name ‘Sayari’ the Swahili word for planet, conceptualized the ‘Ideal Monitoring System’ to reduce post-harvest losses and maximize yields for farmers. The system, they say, will help farm managers monitor and maintain ideal conditions for maximum yields. As well as the safe storage of agricultural produce in storage and agricultural cold rooms.

Even though Sandra and Amanda emerged as Microsoft Imagine Cup EMEA category winners they did not get the top-scoring points in the region to progress to the next stage. This year only the top-scoring team in each region gets to advance to the 2022 World Championship, which takes place during Microsoft Build in May. V Bionic, a student team from Saudi Arabia, getting the top-scoring points qualifies to represent the EMEA region. They will face off with Melodic, USA and Nana Shilpa, Sri Lanka, Americas and Asia regional winners respectively. For the chance to win the grand prize of USD100,000 and a mentoring session with Microsoft Chairman and CEO, Satya Nadella.

The competition known by others as the Olympics of Technology marks its 20th anniversary this year.

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