Third Party Release

Microsoft Announces Winners of Ingenuity Point Competition

Independent software vendors develop solutions and make a positive impact in healthcare, education, environmental sustainability

REDMOND, Wash., -- Dec. 17, 2007 – The passion and innovation of Microsoft partners took center stage today as the company announced the first round of winners in the Ingenuity Point contest. Independent software vendors (ISV) from around the world are taking part in the competition, which focuses on recognizing software solutions that are making a meaningful difference in the areas of education, healthcare and environmental sustainability.

The winning ISVs included: TR Control Systems of Surrey, United Kingdom; Tobii Technology AB of Stockholm, Sweden and OSIsoft of San Leandro, Calif., USA.
Microsoft’s chief environmental strategist, Rob Bernard, says the skills partners have gained in specific technology disciplines, coupled with their desire to impact lives, have proven to be an amazing force for change in the lives of individuals, communities and the world. “Microsoft is inspired by the passion and innovation that we’ve seen from ISVs around the world. ISVs want to be successful and be good global citizens at the same time. We’re excited to hold a competition that focuses on how companies are using Microsoft technologies to make an impact in the world,” says Bernard. “The Ingenuity Point is part of our efforts to put the spotlight on some of the incredible work that we’ve seen from ISVs, and help those companies use their expertise to make a bigger impact.”

Enlarging the Partner’s Impact
TR Control Systems, Tobii Technology AB, and OSIsoft will be joined by a second round of three grand prize winners that will be announced on February 28, 2008. Microsoft will provide each of these companies with a video case study and other marketing resources to help them increase the awareness of their respective solutions and the work they’re doing in their particular areas of expertise:

• Education: TR Control Systems applies its skills in Process Control technology to develop ecoDriver Schools, a solution that helps students, teachers and school administrators to monitor their consumption of power, water, paper and other resources, and to work together to minimize the environmental impact of their respective schools. In addition, ecoDriver schools can collaborate, compete and share best practices using a Microsoft Office SharePoint Server-based collaboration tool.

To develop this solution, TR Control also uses the features and capabilities in the .NET Framework, Visual Basic.NET, Microsoft ASP .NET, Visual Studio .NET, Microsoft Office Visio, Microsoft SQL Server, ActiveX, Microsoft Office Project, and the core applications in the Microsoft Office System.

• Healthcare: Tobii Technology specializes in eye-tracking hardware and software for both scientific and commercial applications. Using this same expertise, Tobii has developed an eye-tracking solution that helps people with disabilities such as cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis and spinal injuries to communicate, navigate the Internet and write e-mail, using only the movement of their eyes.

MyTobii is built using Microsoft Visual Studio 2005, Windows XP, the .NET Framework, DirectX, ActiveX, Microsoft Component Object Model (COM) technologies, Windows Media Player, Internet Explorer browser extensions, Windows Installer, Microsoft Internet Information Services, Windows Server 2003, Microsoft Office SharePoint Server, and the Microsoft Foundation Class library. Tobii will soon to be moving to Visual Studio 2008, Windows Vista and the Windows Presentation Foundation.

• Environmental Sustainability: OSIsoft’s PI System helps companies in manufacturing, energy, utilities and other process industries to monitor, manage and track performance indicators in real time. Several water utilities have used the PI System to more closely manage their water supplies and reduce the cost and energy associated with treating water and wastewater.

The PI system utilizes Windows XP, Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft Office SharePoint Server, and the .NET Framework.

The six vertical winners selected in both award rounds are eligible to be chosen as the Platinum Ingenuity Point Award winner, to be announced in spring 2008. In addition to receiving additional marketing support, the Platinum Award recipient will receive a coveted guest judge position at the Microsoft Imagine Cup 2008 competition to be held in Paris.

For more information on the Ingenuity Point contest and to learn more about the many solutions that have been entered, please visit the Ingenuity Point Web site at: www.microsoft.com/isv.

About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.