Microsoft SaaS Lighthouse program

Microsoft is a great platform for Software as a Service. MySpace, one of the most active sites on the web is built with Microsoft technologies and is hosted on Microsoft platforms. Adesso Systems is another total Microsoft SaaS solution.  Oxlo, EchoPass, and LoyaltyLab are other examples.

Matt Mulligan from Microsoft's Emerging Business Team is organizing a SaaS Lighthouse program and is looking for 20 SaaS start-ups to participate. Matt wrote a blog about his program. Program participants will receive;

• Windows and SQL Server software at no cost for 1 year
• Architecture consulting direct from Microsoft experts
• No cost management and operations advisory support (PSS)
• Marketing assistance to raise the visibility of their solutions

If you are a VC backed start-up interested in participating in the SaaS Lighthouse program send an email to Matt at SaaSMS@microsoft.com

There are other corporate programs like the Microsoft Service Provider License Agreement (SPLA) which enables service providers and ISVs with a hosted offering to license Microsoft products on a monthly basis to provide services and hosted applications to their end customers.

There is also the Microsoft Solution for Windows-based Hosting for Applications Version 1.0 which delivers a comprehensive set of modular but integrated systems and services to develop operational efficiencies and help ISVs shorten their time-to-market for SaaS offerings.

Get in the game. Watch the Microsoft StartupZone for further details and future offerings.