Microsoft opens Imagine Cup to startups, and the new rules show how its AI strategy has changed

Microsoft's Imagine Cup, historically a student developer competition since 2003, is now opening to early-stage startups founded within two years that haven't raised Series C funding. The 2027 competition offers $250,000 cash and $1M in cloud credits as top prizes. Notably, the competition's AI requirements have escalated: 2024 required Microsoft/OpenAI services, 2025 required one Microsoft AI service, and 2026 required two Microsoft AI services, reflecting the industry's AI integration demands.

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