A team of Kenyan university students has secured a place among the top three global finalists at the 2025 Microsoft Imagine Cup, the world’s premier student technology competition. The announcement was made during Microsoft Build 2025, held earlier this week.

The Kenyan team — composed of Anthony Marugu, Branice Kazira, Gheida Abdala Al Mashjery, and Daniel Phillip — represented The African Leadership University, Machakos University, Technical University of Mombasa, and United States International University – Africa. Their innovation, Signvrse, is an AI-driven platform designed to make digital and physical spaces more inclusive for the Deaf and hard-of-hearing communities.

Now in its 23rd year, the Microsoft Imagine Cup draws thousands of student innovators from around the globe. In 2025, more than 15,000 students from 150 countries took part in the competition, with just 18 teams selected as semi-finalists. Only three advanced to the finals. The Kenyan team’s recognition at this level is a significant achievement and a testament to the country’s growing presence in global innovation spaces.

Signvrse: AI for Sign Language Translation

The team’s project, Signvrse, features an AI-powered assistant called Terp. It uses hyper-realistic 3D avatars and real-time motion capture to translate spoken language into sign language. Powered by Azure AI Speech, the platform supports over 2,300 words and continues to expand through community-driven data collection.

Signvrse was designed with the goal of addressing communication challenges in education, healthcare, and employment, areas where Deaf individuals often face systemic barriers due to the shortage of qualified human interpreters.

By turning speech and text into real-time sign language, Signvrse is offering more than a translation tool — it is a vehicle for dignity, independence, and access.

A Personal Mission

One of the team members, Daniel Phillip, brings personal experience to the project. As someone who grew up Deaf, he has faced discrimination and marginalization. His role in building Signvrse is part of a broader mission to challenge stereotypes about Deaf individuals and prove that they can be leaders, innovators, and changemakers.

“Signvrse is more than an app,” Daniel says. “It’s a way to show the world that Deaf people have so much to offer, if only the world will listen — or in this case, see.”

Global Competition, Local Legacy

The 2025 Imagine Cup was won by Team Argus from the United States, who created a wearable AI assistant for people with visual impairments. Argus co-founders Daniel Kim and Arjun Oberoi, students at Stanford University, earned the $100,000 grand prize and a mentorship session with Microsoft Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella.

The Kenyan team, along with the third finalist team, each received $25,000 USD in prize money to continue developing their innovations.

Kenya’s success in the Imagine Cup is not new. In 2023, Team TAWI were crowned global champions for a speech-therapy tool for children with auditory processing disorder. In 2021, Team REWEBA took home the grand prize for a remote postnatal screening device designed to reduce infant mortality.

This year’s success reinforces Kenya’s position as a hub for student-led innovation on the continent.

Microsoft Kenya Applauds the Team

Speaking on the achievement, Phyllis Migwi, Microsoft Kenya Country Manager, praised the Kenyan finalists for their bold innovation and meaningful impact.

“Our hearty congratulations go to the four talented young tech entrepreneurs of the Signvrse team for achieving the impressive placement of Top Three finalists. This is a testament to the incredible innovation our African youth are producing in response to real challenges faced every day by people across the continent, and the world,” she said.

She added, “Creating inclusive technology is a crucial step towards providing people with the opportunities to live a productive and fulfilling life, and we look forward to seeing how the team continues to develop this groundbreaking platform.”