Microsoft Names Industry Veterans as Mentors for Imagine Cup 2026 Builder Series

Microsoft has unveiled the mentor lineup for the Imagine Cup 2026 Builder Series, assembling a remarkable group of 30 technology leaders and entrepreneurs who will guide student teams through the critical semifinal phase of the world's premier student technology competition.

The mentors represent decades of combined experience across startups, global enterprises, AI innovation, cybersecurity, cloud architecture, fintech, SaaS, healthcare, and digital transformation. Each brings unique expertise from building companies from the ground up, leading technology at global scale, and guiding teams through pivotal growth moments.

Deep Bench of Industry Veterans

The mentor roster reads like a who's who of technology leadership. Neil Roodyn brings 25 years of experience building at the edge of emerging technology, from early 3D graphics to AI and Mixed Reality, with work at Microsoft, NVIDIA, Telstra, and KPMG. Patricio Cofré offers deep expertise in data science and analytics, having co-founded Metric Arts and led large-scale data initiatives across finance, retail, and telecommunications.

Thomas Martinsen serves as a technology evangelist and AI strategist, currently at twoday and recognized as a Microsoft Regional Director and AI MVP. Kent Agerlund, founder of CTGlobal (now twoday), brings decades of experience building enterprise-grade endpoint, security, and cloud solutions across Europe and the US.

Nishith Pathak leads global architecture and innovation at DXC Technology, delivering complex enterprise-scale solutions for Fortune 100 companies. Norman Sasono, head of technology at DANA, brings over two decades of fintech and startup experience, having co-founded multiple companies and built products used by hundreds of millions.

Diverse Expertise Across Industries

The mentor group spans multiple industries and technical domains. Agnes Molnar, founder of Search Explained, is a globally recognized expert in enterprise search and knowledge management with solutions delivered in over 30 countries. Maarten Eekels brings 20+ years of experience driving digital transformation across Europe as an independent technology strategist and cloud architect.

Gabe Rijpma's journey from 12-year-old coding 6502 assembly to 20 years at Microsoft, including leading their healthcare business across Asia, provides unique perspective. He co-founded and sold Aceso Health and now runs CardioNexus as CEO while advising startups.

Olajumoke Toriola offers over two decades of experience delivering secure and scalable solutions across industries, with expertise in AI, cybersecurity, and digital transformation. Ouafa Benterki brings global recognition as an Algerian ICT leader, Microsoft Regional Director, and founder & CEO of MTY Intelligent Software Global LLC.

Startup and Enterprise Experience

Several mentors bring direct startup experience to the table. Sharon Sumner has nearly 20 years building cloud-based solutions for businesses and has built a SaaS platform from scratch. Elena Sinel, founder of Teens in AI, brings insight from advising companies and governments on inclusive technology education and impact.

Eric D. Boyd offers nearly 30 years of experience building modern software solutions as founder and CEO of responsiveX. Todd Fine brings 25 years of experience building and scaling software companies, including co-founding Wintellect.

Dr. David Goad combines over 20 years of experience across IT and digital strategy with leadership roles at Microsoft, KPMG, IBM, and Hitachi. Dr. Erdal Ozkaya brings 25+ years of cybersecurity leadership as CISO at Morgan State University and former CISO at Standard Chartered Bank.

Technical Depth and Innovation

The technical expertise represented is exceptional. Sharon Weaver, founder and CEO of Smarter Consulting, brings nearly 30 years of experience driving digital transformation and building inclusive teams. Christian Buckley offers over 30 years of experience in product, marketing, and technical leadership, with previous roles at Microsoft and leading ISV partners.

Chander Dhall brings over 20 years of experience building scalable enterprise applications as founder and CEO of Cazton. Greg Levenhagen serves as VP for AI at NRI with two decades of experience designing enterprise systems and leading engineering teams.

Scott Bockheim offers 20+ years of experience leading digital transformation at global companies including Microsoft, Starbucks, and MillerCoors. Kate Carruthers brings experience delivering innovative data and cybersecurity initiatives across startups, enterprises, and academia.

Jourdan Templeton, founder and CTO of Aware Group, leads AI and data initiatives across global enterprises and government. Rockford Lhotka, with over 30 years of experience designing distributed systems, created the CSLA .NET framework and founded Marimer LLC.

Strategic Value for Student Teams

For Imagine Cup 2026 semifinalists, this mentor group represents an unprecedented opportunity to learn from leaders who have navigated the exact challenges student founders face. The mentors will help teams sharpen their architecture, pressure-test their assumptions, and strengthen their path to scale.

"This stage is about depth," Microsoft notes in the announcement. "Sharpening your architecture. Pressure-testing your assumptions. Strengthening your path to scale." The mentors' collective experience in building companies from the ground up, leading technology at global scale, and guiding teams through pivotal growth moments positions them perfectly to help student founders turn bold ideas into impact.

As the Imagine Cup 2026 semifinalists move deeper into the Builder Series, they do so supported by leaders who have successfully navigated complexity, scaled responsibly, and turned vision into execution. This mentorship represents Microsoft's commitment to nurturing the next generation of technology leaders and innovators.

The Imagine Cup has a proven track record of launching successful startups and careers, with past participants going on to found companies acquired by major technology firms and leading innovation in their respective fields. With this exceptional mentor lineup, the 2026 competition promises to be particularly impactful for student participants.