Below a post and it’s abstract from Rahul Sood, GM of Microsoft Startups:
Today, Microsoft is announcing the creation of Microsoft Ventures, a coordinated global effort that offers the tools, resources, expertise and routes to market by providing mentorship, technology guidance, seed funding, joint selling opportunities and other benefits.
Microsoft Ventures is broad-based and takes a holistic approach, featuring a community evangelism program including BizSpark, an accelerator program and a seed fund that works with startups worldwide.
Microsoft Ventures Community: Anyone with a great idea can benefit from the Community program. Microsoft is providing easy access to technology and resources to help entrepreneurs explore how to turn a great idea into a business in several different ways:
· The BizSpark program will continue to offer access to Microsoft tools and technologies, including Windows and Office, Visual Studio, Windows Azure and more.
· Locally-supported partnerships with approximately 200 startup-focused organizations around the world like Startup BootCamp, Enterprise Ireland and Telefonica’s Wayra.
Microsoft Ventures Accelerators: Once entrepreneurs realize the business potential of their ideas, they can apply to an immersive 3-6 month accelerator program. Along with Microsoft-owned and operated accelerators currently in Bangalore, Beijing, Paris, Seattle and Tel-Aviv, we are expanding to further locations including Berlin, Moscow and Rio de Janeiro.
Seed Funding from Microsoft Ventures: Microsoft is evolving the Bing Fund by adding additional funding to support even more startups. Startups can receive direct funding from Microsoft after achieving early business success. That may mean having a viable product in market with demonstrated customer traction, a full-time founding team or alignment to Microsoft domain expertise, including enterprise software, big data, security, artificial intelligence, advertising, gaming, SaaS and cloud services.
At a minimum, applying companies must have a full-time founding team, a bold vision for tackling a real problem, technologically driven solutions and less than $1 million raised. The accelerators provide access to business mentors, technical and design experts, development tools and key resources to help entrepreneurs take the early steps toward turning their ideas into businesses.
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