Microsoft Imagine Cup 2027 Offers Startups $250,000

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Microsoft for Startups has opened applications for the Imagine Cup 2027, a global competition for early-stage startups developing technology solutions with commercial potential.

The competition gives founders an opportunity to present their products to industry experts, gain visibility among potential customers and partners, and compete for cash prizes and Microsoft for Startups credits. Unlike earlier editions focused primarily on student innovators, the 2027 competition welcomes eligible startups across several industries, including healthcare, retail, financial services and cybersecurity.

The first-place winner will receive <strong>US$250,000 in cash and US$1 million in Microsoft for Startups credits. Applications close on February 28, 2027.

What Does Imagine Cup 2027 Offer?

The competition has several recognition and prize opportunities.

• Imagine Cup Champion: US$250,000 in cash and US$1 million in Microsoft for Startups credits.
• Second-place finalist: US$50,000 in cash and US$350,000 in startup credits.
• Third-place finalist: US$25,000 in cash and US$350,000 in startup credits.
• Top Student Startup: US$25,000 in cash and US$250,000 in startup credits for the eligible student-led venture selected for this award.
• Category winners: Recognition, Microsoft executive mentorship, promotional features and opportunities for enterprise access.
• Top 20 startups: Recognition and opportunities to connect with enterprise customers and the wider Microsoft ecosystem.

The three overall finalists compete for the championship prizes. The Top Student Startup follows a separate judging pathway and is not eligible to win one of the three finalist prizes.

Startup credits are distinct from cash awards. They are subject to Microsoft’s programme terms and are intended to support eligible startups using its technology.

Who Can Apply?

Imagine Cup 2027 is open to eligible early-stage startups developing software-based products or services with commercial potential.

Applicants must meet the following conditions:

• Registered business: The startup must be a legally registered entity founded on or after November 2, 2024.
• Early-stage status: The startup must not have raised Series C funding or a later funding round.
• Founder age: Individual entrants must be at least 18 years old.
• Team size: A startup can register up to four official team members, subject to the competition rules.
• Previous winners: Previous Imagine Cup winners are not eligible to participate.
• Technology requirements: The submitted solution must meet the competition’s Microsoft technology and Azure requirements.

Student founders can apply through the Student Startup category if they meet its additional requirements. However, founders do not need to be students to enter the main competition.

The competition is global, but applicants must comply with the applicable US sanctions and export-control restrictions. Review the official rules before applying.

Competition Categories

Startups must select one category that best matches their solution, target customers and market. Each startup can submit only one entry.

For products that help developers build, test, deploy, secure, manage or scale software and digital infrastructure.

For technology that improves retail operations, customer experiences, demand forecasting, inventory management or how brands understand their customers.

3. Healthcare and Life Sciences

For solutions that improve healthcare delivery, clinical operations, medical research, accessibility or patient outcomes.

For products that help organisations protect identities, data, applications, cloud infrastructure and AI systems.

For technology that helps financial institutions manage risk, improve customer services, strengthen security or deliver financial products more effectively.

For startups developing advanced technologies that connect software and artificial intelligence with hardware, machines or physical systems.

A cross-industry category for eligible student-led ventures developing products or technical concepts with real-world commercial potential.

Applicants should select the category that most closely reflects their core product and customers, since it determines the judging panel and evaluation criteria.

What Makes a Competitive Application?

Microsoft is looking for startups that can demonstrate a clear customer problem, a differentiated solution and a credible route to commercial growth.

Applicants should be ready to explain:

• The problem: What specific challenge does the product solve, and who experiences it?
• The solution: How does the product work, and what makes it different from existing alternatives?
• The market: Who are the target customers, and how large is the commercial opportunity?
• Traction: What evidence shows that customers want or use the solution? This may include sales, deployments, partnerships or customer feedback.
• The business model: How will the startup generate revenue and grow?
• The technology: Which Microsoft technologies and Azure services does the solution use, and how do they support its performance, security or scalability?
• The team: Why is the team equipped to build the product and execute its growth plan?

The judging process considers the startup’s business profile, market opportunity, product and technical approach, customer value, innovation and ability to execute. A strong pitch should support its claims with evidence rather than relying on broad promises about future growth.

Documents and Materials Required

Applicants should prepare the following before starting the online application:

• Startup name, website, founding date, headquarters and primary markets.
• Founder and team details, including an authorised representative.
• A pitch deck explaining the product, business model, market opportunity and traction.
• A product demonstration video lasting two to three minutes.
• An Azure architecture diagram or technical overview.
• Written responses to the application questions.
• A Microsoft for Startups account and a valid Azure Subscription ID associated with the startup and submitted solution.

The competition’s published Azure requirements also specify at least 10 qualifying Azure workloads, with at least US$1 in spend for each qualifying workload, by the submission deadline. Applicants should review the current official rules and Azure guidance carefully to confirm the applicable requirements before submitting.

All required materials must be submitted through Award Force by the deadline. Saving an application without completing the submission process does not count as an entry.

Application Deadline and Competition Timeline

Applications opened on November 2, 2026, and close on February 28, 2027, at 11:59 p.m.Central Standard Time (CST).

The published schedule is as follows:

• November 2, 2026–February 28, 2027: Applications, rolling review and screening.
• March 1–12, 2027: Expert review.
• March 16–31, 2027: Recorded category interviews for advancing startups.
• April 2027: Final judging and selection.
• May–June 2027: Announcements, finalist preparation and the World Championship.

Microsoft notes that dates and competition activities may change. Selected startups will receive further instructions through official competition communications.

How to Apply

Interested founders can apply through the official competition platform.

1. Visit the Imagine Cup 2027 website.
2. Review the official competition rules and eligibility requirements.
3. Confirm that your startup meets the registration, founding-date, funding-stage and technology requirements.
4. Prepare your pitch deck, product demonstration video, technical overview, company information and Azure Subscription ID.
5. Create your startup profile on Award Force, select one competition category and complete the application.
6. Check every response and attachment before submitting. Applications cannot be edited freely after the deadline.

Application deadline: February 28, 2027, at 11:59 p.m. CST.

Application fee: No application fee is listed in the published competition information.

Apply here:Microsoft Imagine Cup 2027

Nigerian Startups Seek Better Access to Investors as Funding Hits $635m

Twenty-six Nigerian startups have engaged with 16 venture capital investors in Lagos as founders seek to secure funding amid a rebound in investments in the country’s technology ecosystem.

The engagement took place on October 27 through an Investor Connection Drive organised by Magna Collective, which facilitated 61 pre-scheduled one-on-one meetings between startup founders and potential investors.

According to Africa: The Big Deal, Nigerian startups raised $635m in the first nine months of 2026, more than double the amount recorded during the corresponding period in 2025 and the highest among African countries.

Despite the increase in funding, investments remained concentrated among a relatively small number of businesses, with only 77 startups raising at least $100,000 during the period.

Moove’s $250m transaction accounted for almost 40 per cent of the total funding recorded, highlighting the uneven distribution of venture capital across the country’s startup ecosystem.

The Investor Connection Drive was designed to address challenges faced by startups in connecting with investors whose funding priorities align with their businesses.

The programme adopted a speed-dating format, with meetings arranged based on investors’ preferred funding stages, cheque sizes and sector interests.

Participating investors reviewed proposed matches before the event and agreed to meet the selected founders, reducing the need for startups to make unsolicited introductions.

Kelvin Umechukwu, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of commerce platform Bumpa, met four growth-stage investors during the programme.

He said the arrangement made the engagement more direct and productive because investors had reviewed the company’s documents before the meetings.

Lexi Novitske, general partner at Norrsken22, one of the participating investment firms, said the format helped investors identify businesses that aligned with their investment portfolios.

According to her, the arrangement improved efficiency and provided opportunities to engage with startups that could fit into the firm’s investment pipeline.

The participating startups operate across fintech, healthcare, artificial intelligence, logistics, energy, agriculture and education.

More than two-thirds of the participating businesses have women in leadership positions, while 11 are alumni of Google programmes, including Google for Startups Accelerator Africa, the Black Founders Fund and the Google AI Fund, in collaboration with the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics.

Folarin Aiyegbusi, head of startup ecosystem for Africa at Google, said access to suitable investors could help founders accelerate business growth.

He said the initiative’s structured approach to matching startups with investors whose funding priorities align with their businesses could improve investment opportunities.

The programme also received support from the UK-Nigeria Tech Hub, an initiative of the UK Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, as part of efforts to strengthen investment links between Nigeria and the United Kingdom.

Oyinkan Akintola-Bello, director of the UK-Nigeria Tech Hub, encouraged Nigerian founders to consider the UK as an alternative market for raising investment.

The Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation (ONDI), under the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), also supported the initiative.Magna Collective said it would monitor follow-up discussions and capital commitments arising from the meetings over the next six months and publish its findings.

Femi Awoniyi, Chief Executive Officer of Magna Collective, said the initiative was established to address the disconnect between Nigerian startup founders and potential sources of capital.

The programme is expected to provide insights into how structured investor introductions can improve access to venture capital for startups and strengthen funding opportunities within Nigeria’s technology ecosystem.

Agriculture&Agro-Allied

Jigawa Invests ₦4.5bn in Cattle Ranches to Boost Livestock Production

The Jigawa State Government has earmarked ₦4.5bn for the establishment of three modern cattle ranches as part of efforts to improve livestock production, support pastoralist households and reduce farmers-herders clashes.

The Commissioner for Livestock Development, Prof. Salim Abdulrahman, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse on Sunday.

The project will cover the state’s three senatorial districts, with each ranch designed to support organised livestock management and provide essential infrastructure for cattle breeders.

Abdulrahman said the investment forms part of the ₦17.2bn allocated to livestock development in Jigawa State’s 2026 fiscal year.

The proposed ranch locations are Sankara Grazing Reserve in Ringim, Kashamai Grazing Reserve in Kafin Hausa and Kukar Mekiya in Kiyawa.

According to the commissioner, each ranch will occupy 510 hectares of land and accommodate 3,000 households.

The facilities will include schools, healthcare centres, veterinary clinics, markets, electricity and water supply, alongside pasture and water points to improve access to animal feed and other essential resources.

The state government is also expanding veterinary healthcare services under its broader livestock development programme.

The plan includes the establishment of veterinary clinics across all 27 local government areas, seven zonal veterinary clinics and a central referral veterinary centre.

Abdulrahman said the development of organised livestock settlements would improve cattle management and help reduce recurring conflicts between farmers and herders.

The ranches are also expected to provide pastoralist households with improved access to veterinary care, water, grazing facilities and other livestock production resources.

The investment comes amid calls from livestock industry stakeholders for cattle breeders to transition from traditional cattle rearing to organised ranching.

Abdullahi Abubakar, National Deputy Treasurer of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) in Bauchi State, said modern livestock management could help address recurring conflicts between farmers and herders.

He identified competition over land, water and other natural resources as major sources of tension between farming and pastoralist communities.

Abubakar urged cattle breeders to maintain manageable herd sizes and invest in feed processing, animal healthcare and improved livestock management practices.

He also said population growth and climate change had increased pressure on land and water resources, making traditional open grazing increasingly difficult.

According to him, pastoralists should acquire land and establish properly managed ranches where cattle could be raised under controlled conditions.

He added that modern ranching could improve animal welfare, reduce indiscriminate cattle movement and minimise crop destruction and disputes between farmers and herders.

Jigawa’s investment is part of broader efforts by the Federal and state governments to modernise livestock production, improve productivity and address recurring farmers-herders conflicts.

In January 2026, Nairametrics reported that the Federal Government planned to pilot communal ranches in Adamawa, Benue, Kaduna, Kano, Plateau states and the Federal Capital Territory.

In December 2025, President Bola Tinubu announced plans to modernise livestock farming through large-scale ranching schemes, improved animal husbandry and the integration of the livestock value chain into the national economy.

Similarly, in September 2024, the Presidential Committee on the Implementation of Livestock Reforms recommended combining ranching with regulated open grazing as a possible approach to addressing the farmers-herders crisis.

In March 2025, the Federal Government announced a partnership with Brazilian firm JBJ Brazil to establish a 100,000-hectare cattle ranch in Niger State, with a proposed capacity for 100,000 bulls.

The Niger State Government also pledged 1.2 million hectares of land to support livestock development.

The growing investments in ranching and livestock infrastructure are aimed at improving cattle production, strengthening the livestock value chain and creating more organised systems for animal husbandry across the country.

Call for Applications: Women in Tech × UN Women Digital Skills and Mentorship Programme 2026

Women in Tech® Global and UN Women are inviting applications for the Digital Skills and Mentorship Programme, an initiative designed to help women and girls across the Western Balkans develop practical digital skills, access professional mentorship and improve their understanding of online safety.

The programme focuses on digital literacy, artificial intelligence (AI), digital entrepreneurship and protection against technology-facilitated violence. It is intended to help participants build relevant skills, explore career opportunities and become more confident using digital tools.

Applications close on November 20, 2026.

What the Programme Offers

Participants can benefit from training, mentorship and learning activities focused on digital skills and professional development.

• Digital skills training: Opportunities to strengthen digital literacy and develop knowledge of emerging technologies, including AI.
• Digital entrepreneurship: Exposure to digital tools and approaches that can support business development and entrepreneurship.
• Professional mentorship: Guidance from professionals in information and communications technology (ICT), cybersecurity, science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), and human resources.
• Online safety education: Learning about technology-facilitated violence, online risks and ways to improve digital safety.
• Career development: Opportunities to explore technology-related career pathways and connect their skills to professional goals.

The programme is listed as offering online and in-person participation. Applicants should check the application form for details about the schedule, delivery format and any attendance requirements.

The published information does not confirm a cash award, scholarship stipend, device provision or guaranteed employment placement.

Who Can Apply?

The programme targets women and girls across the Western Balkans.

However, the publicly available announcement does not provide a complete breakdown of eligibility requirements. Applicants should use the official application form to confirm:

• The eligible countries and any citizenship or residency requirements.
• The minimum and maximum age limits, if applicable.
• Whether previous technology experience or specific educational qualifications are required.
• The expected time commitment and programme schedule.
• Any documents or supporting information required for submission.

Applicants should not assume that the programme is open worldwide. Its published target audience is women and girls in the Western Balkans, so applicants based elsewhere should confirm their eligibility before applying.

What Skills Can Participants Develop?

The programme combines digital learning with mentorship and online safety education.

Digital literacy and AI: Participants can strengthen their understanding of digital tools and emerging technologies.

Technology careers: Mentorship from professionals in ICT and STEM can help participants explore career options and identify skills they need to develop.

Digital entrepreneurship: The programme introduces participants to digital entrepreneurship and ways technology can support business activities.

Online safety: Participants can learn about technology-facilitated violence and the risks women and girls may face online.

The exact courses, training hours and learning materials should be confirmed through the official application process.

Application Deadline

Applications close on November 20, 2026. The published announcement does not specify the closing time or time zone, so applicants should submit early.

How to Apply

Interested applicants can follow these steps:

Visit the official Women in Tech × UN Women application form.

1. Review the programme information and confirm that you meet the eligibility requirements.
2. Complete the application form with accurate information.
3. Check your answers before submitting.
4. Monitor your email for further communication from the organisers.

Application deadline: November 20, 2026.

Programme focus: Digital skills, mentorship, digital entrepreneurship and online safety.

Target audience: Women and girls across the Western Balkans.

Apply here:Women in Tech × UN Women Digital Skills & Mentorship Programme

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