Geekly Articles each Day
📜 ⬆️ ⬇️

Microsoft ignites startups for three years!



In November, Microsoft launched Microsoft's flagship startup program, Microsoft BizSpark , three years ago . The program, thanks to which 45,000 startups worldwide, including 2,500 in our country, got absolutely free access to all Microsoft software available in Russia.

Being the head of BizSpark in Russia, I often communicate with program participants and hear words of thanks and positive feedback about BizSpark. We are thanked for the fact that the program allows us to save tens of thousands of dollars, concentrate on development and not think about licenses, for prompt technical support, for recommendations, useful knowledge and connections ....
')
I can honestly say that BizSpark is one of the best Microsoft programs, it is a program that I recommend to friends.

Taking advantage of this publication, I want to tell you about the benefits of BizSpark, how to register in the program and get the most out of it. And also to note the successful participants in the program, who in a short period of time achieved significant results.

Benefits of BizSpark


So, Microsoft BizSpark members are absolutely free to receive licensed Microsoft software for design, development, product testing and online services, as well as support from Microsoft and authorized BizSpark community partners.

Become a member of the program - easy!

The terms of participation:
- A start-up entrepreneur or a start-up company should develop a replicable software product or service based on software. This product or service should be a key component of your own business.
- The company should be private, in business for no more than three years and have an annual income of no more than 500 thousand US dollars (the figure of income is given for Russia). Individuals who are only in the process of registering a legal entity or have not even started this process can also participate in the program.

Registration and participation in the program are free!

In order to become a member, you need to get a registration link from your BizSpark community partner or Microsoft and register. More information about the program and other resources that may be useful to you at the beginning of the business path - on the Microsoft Startup Portal ( www.ms-start.ru ).

Successful participants in the program


Many of the BizSpark participants have achieved excellent results. Among them are such Russian startups as:

On our portal in the special section “Successful Startups” I prepared a selection with success stories of these companies (videos and publications).

Most of these companies can be considered graduates of the BizSpark program, since they have moved on to the next “step” - the individual support programs for start-ups Microsoft BizSpark One and Microsoft Startup Accelerator.

Personal Startup Support Programs




Microsoft BizSpark One is an international program of in-depth support for startups with serious achievements and intentions. Selected participants have the opportunity to interact individually with Microsoft, including a single “entry point” and a collaboration plan tailored to the unique needs of a particular startup. This work may include joint marketing, business training / consulting, mentoring assistance, technology, investment assistance, PR, and more. Currently, four companies with Russian roots are participating in the program, and their business is actively developing.

For example , Acumatica , which created a cloud-based ERP system and platform for developing Windows Azure-based business applications, expanded its partner channel to over 100 integrators / resellers over the year and attracted a new round of investment from the famous US fund Kohlberg Kravis & Roberts. The company ClickBerry, having developed a “cloud” platform for creating and hosting an interactive (clickable) video, entered the US market by entering into partnership agreements with major players in the video advertising market. The News360 news application, which also runs on Windows Azure, is on the list of recommended on all six supported platforms, the number of installations is already more than one million. The young startup FittingReality got the opportunity to present a prototype of its solution using the Microsoft Kinect sensor to more than 100 leading international venture funds at the Microsoft VC Summit in October 2011 in California. Now the company with the support of Microsoft is actively developing a commercial version of the product.



The second program, Microsoft Startup Accelerator, is designed to identify a small number of young companies with high potential at Microsoft BizSpark among more than 2500 Russian start-ups participating in order to accelerate the growth of their business and increase the likelihood of their participation in BizSpark One. The Russian Microsoft office works with these companies individually by providing access to technical, marketing and business resources. Over the past year, more than 300 companies underwent primary screening, more than 70 underwent in-depth examination, 25 were nominated to attend face-to-face selection committee meetings, nine were selected as participants. Two of these companies became members of BizSpark One.

In case your startup has a market-proven business model, you create a product that forms a new market, or you expect to take a substantial share of the existing market and you are interested in Microsoft technologies and partnership with Microsoft, please send information about the company to rusaccel @ microsoft. com .

Money startups


Few people know that in addition to free software, BizSpark members also have the opportunity to receive money - grants from the Microsoft Seed Fund. During the year of the fund’s work, eight Russian start-up companies received support totaling $ 525,000:

The procedure for applying for participation in the competitive selection is as simple as possible. For this company, it is enough to go through online registration and submit an application (in a very competent template) on Microsoft’s start-up portal ( www.ms-start.ru ).

The startups selected at this stage will present their projects to the Foundation selection committee, which includes leading experts from a number of venture organizations, including the Skolkovo Foundation, RVC, Almaz Capital Partners, Glavstart, etc. The decision to grant grant support is made at regular meetings of the selection committee.

Summarizing my holiday post, I invite you to our Microsoft BizSpark Startup Portal - www.ms-start.ru . I hope that you will definitely find the resources you need there.

I and my colleagues from the Microsoft group for work with startups will be happy to answer your questions at rustart@microsoft.com .

We are waiting for your application in BizSpark!

Respectfully,
Julia Scheglova,
Microsoft BizSpark Program Manager
Microsoft Russia

juliash@microsoft.com

Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/133695/

More articles:


All Articles