Whether recession or no recession, starting up, specially a start up requiring software development was always a challenge. I think the biggest challenge is getting good people to start up with- specially tech/scripting guys with a vision of giving that additional extra edge is a task in itself…

To me funding and and mentoring is probably the next stage after the initial stages of product development and launching- maybe getting that first customer are over. And that needs good people.

Having said that, starting up is always great. But expensive. And resource hungry. For the first timers, it goes beyond that- finding mentors, capital and resources.

Enter Microsoft. Realizing that start ups and entrepreneurs and small businesses are the cash cows of the future- if you target them in the intial phases, it is very very likely that they continue to scale their operations using your products, many companies now have solutions targeting this segment.

PS: Posted this much before Straits Times, the leading newspaper in Singapore, who then published this on 22nd November, who knows, inspired by ChasingTheStorm?

No longer the blue monster?

So in effect partnering with entrepreneurs when they most need it and can least afford it.

Microsoft has this initiative for start ups (but only in the technology development field mind you) where they assist by:

• Providing them with “express access” to Microsoft tools and technologies, for their immediate use in design, development, testing, demonstration, and hosted application production and deployment;
• Connecting them with Network Partners and a united, global community of support resources; and
• Offering them global visibility on the MicrosoftStartupZone website via the BizSparkDB, an online Startup directory, hosted on the MicrosoftStartupZone website.

There are no initial costs to enter the programme, but Microsoft has some conditions on what kind of companies can apply. Not very stringent- basically if you are trying to come up with something that software development component, you should more or less meet the criterion. You could enroll even if you deploy open source software/tools. More details here.

Apart from the obvious software/tech component, applicants can get access to Microsoft’s Network of professional members (incubators, mentors etc) and a chance to get visibility by listing them in their BizSpark database.

The potential hiccups? The start up needs to be associated with a network partner- and I could not find Asian network partners. Hmmm. The revenue eligibility criterion is USD 1 mill or less but for upcoming countries, the revenue criterion is reduced. Again surprised at seeing Pakistan there but no India. China has a ceiling of USD 750,000.

Overall good initiative for small enterprises- where an entire ecosystem is working for them and not just hardware/software support.

I’ll try to explore this scheme in detail in the near future.

Till then, any other such initiatives that you might have found or you’d like to shed more light on this initiative?