Building something extraordinary is only the beginning
The global competition empowering startups to solve enterprise challenges
- 25Years of Imagine Cup
- 190+Countries represented
- 2M+Alumni innovators
- $250KCash prize for winner
- $1MIn startup credits for first place winner
Find the category built for your breakthrough
Compete alongside ambitious startups tackling consequential business and technology challenges. Select the category that best reflects your solution, customer, and market.
Developer tools
Build the tools, platforms, and infrastructure redefining how software is created, secured, deployed, and scaled.
Retail
Transform how brands and retailers understand customers, manage operations, deliver experiences, and drive growth.
Healthcare & life sciences
Advance solutions that improve healthcare delivery, research, operations, access, and outcomes.
Cybersecurity
Create technologies that help organizations protect identities, data, infrastructure, applications, and emerging AI systems.
Financial services
Redefine how financial institutions manage risk, serve customers, operate securely, and deliver trusted financial experiences.
Deep tech + physical AI
Build breakthrough technologies that connect advanced software and intelligence with the physical world.
Student startup
Turn an ambitious student-founded venture into a startup with real-world potential. This dedicated cross-industry category continues the Imagine Cup student legacy.
Seven categories.
One global stage.