Microsoft is organizing several “Incubation Week” programs to help startups incubate and develop outstanding ideas. The event will feature technical gurus from Microsoft, technology veterans who have built their own applications, and influential venture capitalists and industry experts. Our developers will lead interactive discussions, provide helpful advice, and facilitate actual application development on site. At the end of the week, we’ll select a winner who will be eligible for prizes and special PR opportunities.
The event is free (plan your own travel expenses), and each team can bring up to three participants (one business and 1-2 technical). All startups are eligible, whether or not you have an application built today.
Mobile Incubation Week
will be held at Microsoft’s Silicon Valley Campus in Mountain View, CA April 13-17. To nominate your team, please submit your development proposal to Mobile Incubation Week.
Applications will be judged according to the strength of the founding team, originality and creativity of the idea, and uniqueness to Windows Mobile. The deadline for applications for the Mountain View event is March 20 so get your applications in today! See Brian Hoskins blog for more details.
CRM Incubation Week
will be held at Microsoft Technology Center, Boston, MA from Monday 4/20/2009 to Friday 4/24/2009. This event consists of ½ day of training, 3 ½ days of active prototype/development time, and a final day for packaging/finishing and reporting out to a panel of judges for various prizes.
To nominate your team, please submit your development proposal to Sanjay Jain. Nominations will be judged according to the strength of the founding team, originality and creativity of the idea, and ability to leverage CRM as a Platform. See Sanjay’s blog for more details.
Microsoft BizSpark – software for startups
BizSpark is designed to accelerate your success by providing fast, affordable access to current, full-featured Microsoft tools and technologies, plus production licensing for hosted solutions. For support, BizSpark unites a global community of technology and entrepreneurial experts who can guide you through the hurdles of growing a new business.
By joining BizSpark, Startups get:
- Software: fast and easy access to Microsoft’s current full-featured development tools, platform technologies, and unlimited production licenses of server products for immediate use in developing and bringing to market innovative and interoperable solutions with no upfront costs and minimal requirements. Startups will also get access to the community technology preview (CTP) of the Microsoft Azure Services Platform.
- Support: professional technical support from Microsoft (MSDN) and community support from BizSpark Network Partners around the world who provide a wide range of support resources for software startups. Network Partners are incubators, investors, advisors, government agencies and hosters who are vested in software-fueled innovation and entrepreneurship.
- Visibility: a dedicated online startup directory, BizSparkDB, on the Microsoft Startup Zone website (www.microsoftstartupzone.com)where we will highlight promising companies from around the world, including the “BizSpark Startup of the Day”. Through their relationship with Microsoft and BizSpark Network Partners, startups will achieve global visibility to an audience of potential investors, clients and partners.
Startups get access to BizSpark through Network Partners like TiE, NVCA, select Venture Capitalists, and over 300+ entrepreneurial-focused organizations with a strong track record of helping young and promising technology companies. Startups can find both at Microsoft.com/bizspark.
