daisychaussee / hackwithazure

Resources for students at hackathons

Hacking with Microsoft Azure

What is Azure?

Microsoft Azure is a flexible, scalable, and full-featured cloud platform. If you can imagine it, you can build it on Azure, using the tools, languages and frameworks you're already familiar with. Python, JavaScript, Java, .NET - you can run them all on Azure.

Using Azure you can run serverless code using Azure Functions, host web applications and databases, take advantage of artificial intelligence (AI) through Cognitive Services, and create your own machine learning models through Azure Notebooks or powerful Data Science Virtual Machines (DSVM).

If you're new to Azure, we have a host of learning options available to you.

Getting started

You can get started by creating an account on Azure. There's three different options available, depending on your current status as a student.

• Azure for Students | $100 in Azure for 12 months with free tier of services - no credit card required with academic verification
• Azure for Students Starter | use select Azure products like App Services for free - no credit card required with academic verification

Bootstrapping projects

• Web Template Studio is an extension for Visual Studio Code which your team can use to quickly scaffold a project using React, Angular or Vue.js, with a Node.js or Flask back end. Web Template Studio was built by interns at the Microsoft Garage in Vancouver, for students, by students.
• Education Hub is a "blade" or page on the Azure Portal designed for students. From Education Hub you can access a set of templates to help quickly create resources on Azure, including components for IoT, Blockchain and Bot Services.
• az hack create is an Azure CLI extension which can be used to automatically provision several Azure resources, including a web server, database and artificial intelligence. Upon successful creation, Git deployment will be enabled, allowing you to deploy your application using tools you're already familiar with.

Imagine Cup - Bring your project onto the world stage

Imagine Cup is a global competition for the next generation of students. Team up, and use your creativity, passion, and knowledge of technology to create applications that shape how we live, work, and play. Every year, tens of thousands of students from across the globe compete for cash, travel, and prizes and for the honor of taking home the Imagine Cup!

Student Resources

• Azure Student Labs - Our repository of labs geared for computer science students that you can learn from. Find them at aka.ms/azurestudentlabs
• Microsoft Student Partners - We are a community of university students around the world with an interest in technology. Coding is our shared common language. You might find yourself leading your own hackathon, mentoring computer science students, or unlocking the next great idea with your team – it’s all up to you. The program is all about gaining leadership experiences and getting access to resources and develop your technical and career skills. And we have a lot of fun too.
• Internships and Full Time Opportunities - Are you interested in working at Microsoft? Check out the internship and full time opportunities for students and recent graduates at the link above. We have roles for students ranging all the way from freshmen students to PhD candidates!

Azure Prize

The Azure prize is awarded to the team who makes the best use of Azure during a Microsoft sponsored hackathon. The primary requirement is that your hack project includes Azure in some way. Ask the on-site Microsoft representatives for full details about your hackathon.

How do I win? What's the judging criteria?

Criteria	Points
Does the project address a clear need, problem, or opportunity and is the solution clearly explained?	/10
Does the project use Azure and include innovations in technical design and/or implementation of services (e.g., Cognitive Services, Machine Learning) and/or User Experience?	/20
Does the project have a clear target market or audience?	/5
Is the project’s purpose and basic functionality easily understood?	/5
Does the project have a professional degree of production in terms of performance, user interface, visuals, and audio?	/10

What can our team win?

Our prizes vary by hackathon. Visit the Microsoft table at your event to learn more about the prizes at your hack!

I want to enter my winning hack project into Imagine Cup

The winning team also receives expedited entry into the 2020 Imagine Cup regional finals! Each winning team will have two separate chances to gain entry.