From February 2018, new applications for Bizspark program has been stopped by Microsoft but Microsoft for Startups has been started.
What to do now ?
Don’t worry program for startups also has really exciting benefits.
They are offering $120,000 as credit. Here question arises how are they going to give this money
To how many startups will they give this offer?
What all conditions they will put ?
I will try to answer as many questions I can in this post.
Microsoft is offering a great concept of co selling.
Microsoft is promising to spend $500 million for this program over the next two years which is roughly 1.7 percent of its revenue last quarter.
Two years back they launched program with name Venture Capital ( VC ). Now they have renamed it to M12.
Did not understand this name ?
Well , M is Microsoft and word entrepreneur has 12 letters.
But they may take equity in your company.
Getting Benefit from Microsoft for Startups Program:
Microsoft claims that they will provide up to $1,20,000 Azure credits to startups. That is just a political statement because they are not clearly mentioning how they will provide .
Please let me make this clear.
Earlier when Microsoft BizSpark Program was there, it was almost clear that if we are approved for BizSpark Program, then Microsoft will take care of almost all our infrastructure cost .
Now they are saying if you want to start you get $200( two hundred only)credit of Azure for 30 days. For any more grant or guidance for infrastructure aid or business development ( they will help via an incubator, accelerator or venture capitalist firm) we have to approach their local program director decided by Microsoft (Some third parties)
So, finally I am making my point here on Microsoft for startups benefits
Now their help is not system based but supervisors based- (May be, because back then many startups misused it ). In a way it is good that they may help us to grow. They are even claiming to help in getting business, but there is no clear step or system which tells us what all grant in terms of licenses we can get.
What is my Suggestion in the New Scenario:
While interacting with the said program director we should try to get maximum grant in terms of Azure credits and software like MS project Office 365 for startups etc.
Their program is totally Cloud based now. They are promoting Azure services and saying that grant will be valid only if you develop your projects based on Azure (not based on their competitors like AWS) or at least Azure services also. We are good if we will be providing support to both AWS and Azure both, Its up-to client what he wants to use.
Overall this program is good and we can get a lot of benefits but we have to open a more channel smartly with Microsoft where we have to interact with Microsoft people as well, specially with their program director.
For US contact: startupsus@microsoft.com
For India Contact: startupindia@microsoft.com
For other countries and continent’s emails you are welcome for giving your inputs :). Please write in the comments I will include with your name and it can help some one .
Note: I am in continuous talk with Microsoft People. Will update few points as soon as possible which are still not covered in this article.
