Microsoft announces BizSpark Plus, an extension of its BizSpark program, and teams with startup accelerator TechStars to offer $60,000 in cloud computing services to startups.
Microsoft
announced its new BizSpark Plus, an extension to its BizSpark program to help
startups get off the ground faster, as well as a new partnership with startup
accelerator
TechStars
to make free cloud computing services available to select, high potential
startups.
Microsoft and
TechStars are working together to help startups fast-track their businesses. On
Jan. 30, TechStars today announced an enhanced relationship with Microsoft
through the new BizSpark Plus program for accelerators and incubators. The
enhanced program allows TechStars accelerators in Boulder, Colo.; Boston; New
York; Seattle and Texas to offer each of their startups up to $60,000 of
Windows Azure
compute and storage over a 24-month period, at no cost.
BizSpark Plus
is an extension of the
Microsoft BizSpark program, designed to
accelerate the success of startups around the world. BizSpark Plus works
through select incubators and accelerators such as TechStars to provide
value-added products and services to high-potential startups. In addition to
offering this to TechStars, Microsoft is making this offer available to all
founders whose accelerator is part of the
Global
Accelerator Network, a network of nearly 40 high quality
accelerators from around the world that follow a model similar to TechStars.
"Our passion
is helping startups succeed around the world by providing funding and
mentorship from the best and brightest Internet entrepreneurs and investors on
the planet," David Cohen, founder and CEO of TechStars, said in a statement.
"The enhanced relationship with Microsoft will allow us to provide our founders
with even more valuable support and services. Access to technologies such as
Windows Azure and other software and services from Microsoft through the
BizSpark Plus program gives our companies a leg up in the all-encompassing race
to scale and succeed."
"Tech startups
around the world are building products and services in the cloud, Himanshu
Singh, a senior product manager on the Windows Azure marketing team, said in a
Jan. 30 post on Microsoft's Windows Azure blog.
"Cloud applications and smart devices are driving the new startup ecosystem,
affording startups the ability to drive user adoption, scale their company and
generate financial returns with far less capital at a faster pace than ever
before. Windows Azure offers a simple, comprehensive and powerful platform for
the creation of Web applications and services. Supporting entrepreneurship is
the crux of Microsoft BizSpark's mission, and the Windows Azure team is excited
to be a part of this effort."
In a
Jan. 30 post on the BizSpark Group Blog,
Microsoft said: "Our goal is to help startups grow their business and by
offsetting startups' cloud computing costs, this enables startups to spend time
and money elsewhere-focusing on solving their business challenges, learning
from their users, hiring more developers, investing in marketing and promoting
their business or getting new customers."
The BizSpark
Group Blog also said: "BizSpark Plus partners are chosen from local
markets based on their track record of attracting and working with world-class
startups."
Organizations
that have already joined as BizSpark Plus Partners include TechStars (Global), Startup
Weekend (Global), SeedCamp (Global), Founder Institute (Global), Fumec (Global),
Springboard (U.K.), TechCity (U.K.), Eura Technologies (France), DojoBoost
(France) and Cietec (Brazil).
Microsoft
officials said TechStars has lots of experience working with tech startups
around the world that are building products and services in the cloud. Cloud
applications and smart devices are driving the new startup ecosystem, affording
startups the ability to drive user adoption, scale their companies and generate
financial returns with far less capital and much more quickly than ever before.
Windows Azure offers a simple, comprehensive and powerful platform for the
creation of Web applications and services, Microsoft said.
"TechStars is
a great partner with a proven track record of attracting world-class startups.
We are excited at the opportunity to work together to help startups when they
need it most, with the products, resources and connections they need the most,"
Dan'l Lewin, corporate vice president of strategic and emerging business development
at Microsoft, said in a statement. "Working with entrepreneurs on the forefront
of the cloud revolution is especially rewarding. Windows Azure is a powerful,
integrated platform, making it easy for startups to get their services up and
running quickly with minimal overhead. This is the first offer from our new
BizSpark Plus program, and we look forward to supporting TechStars members
across a number of markets and technology offerings."
Founded in
2006, the TechStars philosophy focuses on deep mentorship, and surrounding a
small number of companies with highly engaged members of the entrepreneurial
ecosystem to coach and support them to success. The TechStars community
currently includes more than 300 mentors, more than 1,500 investors and over
120 alumni TechStars companies. TechStars operates five programs each year in Boulder,
Boston, Seattle, Texas and New York. TechStars is funded by more than 50
venture capital firms and 25 angel investors.
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