Team Parasitica, a group of three Bangladeshi students, won the judges' worldwide finalist and most popular team awards at the Microsoft Imagine Cup South East Asia Regional Finals.

The team will now compete against 50 teams of students from all over the world, at the Imagine Cup World Finals to be held in July in Seattle, USA, Microsoft Bangladesh said in a statement yesterday.

The teams are vying for the top prize of $100,000, mentorship opportunities with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and Azure grants and credits to bring their winning solution to the market.

This year's theme of the Imagine Cup is "solving world problems through technology", according to the statement.

Team Parasitica's medical diagnos-

tic app named fasTnosis was also chosen as a fan favourite through an online voting component of the regional finals.

The application uses artificial intelligence to improve medical diagnosis, and it can diagnose tuberculosis, malaria and intestinal infections, Microsoft said.

All three of Team Parasitica— Thohidul Islam, Syed Nakib Hossain and Fazle Rabbi Rahat—are the students of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology.

"The Bangladesh team, Parasitica, has again proven that our youth, given the opportunity, has the potential to succeed in any global platform," said Sonia Bashir Kabir, managing director of Microsoft Bangladesh.

"Microsoft understands that potential and is working to help Bangladesh discover and nurture these hidden talents."

"The experience of Imagine Cup has been a unique journey for not only Team Parasitica but also for all participating teams," said Md Ashadul Islam, secretary-in-charge of the youth and sports ministry.

"The success of Bangladeshi youth is something we should build on for the future. I thank Microsoft for this unique opportunity and wish further success of such an endeavour," said Islam who accompanied Team Parasitica to the regional finals held in Manila.

Held every year since 2003, Microsoft Imagine Cup, often called the "Olympics of Technology," is the world's premier youth technology competition, Microsoft Bangladesh said.

All Imagine Cup competitors create projects that address the Imagine Cup theme of solving the world's toughest challenges through technology.