Exeter students win worldwide technology competition

Last week, in St Petersburg, Russia, four students from the University of Exeter, won a worldwide technology competition hosted by Microsoft, triumphing over 71 other countries and scooping the first prize reward of $50,000.

Supported by the University of Exeter Students’ Guild entrepreneurial programme IGNITE alongside SETsquared, the four students aged between 20 – 23-years-old, created the winning app idea in Exeter earlier this year, when the regional heats were held at Exeter’s Streatham Campus. The students went on to win the UK finals in London with their idea and, having flown out to Russia earlier this week to compete in the Microsoft Imagine Cup, won the best Innovation category.

With over 300 students in 87 teams, representing 71 countries, the Exeter team - made up of Robert Parker, Edward W Noel, Alexander Bochenski and Jonathan Neumann - have seen their ‘SoundSYNK’ app heralded as one of the best in the world at the Microsoft Imagine Cup World Finals.

SoundSYNK Co-founder Edward Noel, 20, commented:
“We’re so happy, we can’t quite believe we’ve won! It’s been a whirlwind journey for us, having only come up with the concept a few months ago. We’ll be celebrating tonight but then it’s straight back to business, presenting in front of 14,000 Microsoft staff next week in Atlanta and then getting the app ready for launch as Co-linked's first product.”

Tracy Costello, Deputy Chief Executive of the University of Exeter Students’ Guild, said:
“The students’ success is a testimony to their entrepreneurship, commitment and talent, and the quality of their support mechanisms. They have worked their fingers to the bone for this success and I am immensely proud of them.”