Nz imagine cup winners go global

Microsoft's annual Imagine Cup congratulated Team OneBuzz from the University of Auckland as the 2011 national winners a couple of months back.For anyone unfamiliar with the Imagine Cup, it is the world's premier student technology competition for tertiary students, focused on finding solutions to real-world issues.

Team OneBuzz presented a project aiming to wipe out malaria using an information collaboration platform to inhibit the spread and ultimately eliminate the disease. "Having a technology system that updates the concerned parties within days rather than months means aid can be dispatched to designated regions quickly and efficiently. By concentrating aid efforts and reacting quickly we have a better chance of eradicating malaria from the surface of this planet," says Vinny Lohan, team leader.

This is the second year in a row that Team OneBuzz has come out victorious in the competition, and the students are ecstatic about the win. "After working so hard for so long, winning the New Zealand Imagine Cup for a second year running feels great," says Vinny.

Now the team is headed off to New York to represent New Zealand in the worldwide finals this month.  Last year, Team OneBuzz (previously Team OneBeep) won third place in their category at the worldwide Imagine Cup finals in Poland, so the hopes and expectations are high.  "We aim to make New Zealand proud!" Vinny adds.