• Announces a grant of $100, 000 to facilitate the Microsoft BizSpark India StartUp Challenge
• Grant to equip the start ups to grow their business and strengthen the local software ecosystem
Mumbai, April 21, 2011: Microsoft today reinforced its commitment towards fostering innovation and nurturing the entrepreneurial ecosystem in India by announcing a grant of USD 100,000 to launch the Microsoft BizSpark India StartUp Challenge. The ‘Challenge’, launched by Kevin Turner, Chief Operating Officer, Microsoft, is a unique contest for start-ups in the field of product software to showcase their creativity and receive constructive feedback, inputs into the technology roadmap, and mentorship from their peers, top investors and Microsoft.
Four start-ups will win grants amounting to a total of USD 100,000; USD 40000 for the winners & USD 10000 for runners up in the categories of cloud computing, mobile applications and software products. The contest commences on April 21, is open to those startups that currently have product/IP and are leveraging Microsoft technologies. The winners will be announced in June, 2011. The contestants will be assessed on three key parameters; innovation, market potential of the business and a compelling story behind the idea. More information about the ‘Challenge’ is available on http://www.bizsparkstartupchallenge.com/ .
This challenge is in line with Microsoft’s commitment to promote innovation and entrepreneurship and foster the growth of the local software ecosystem. Over the years through its ‘Spark Series’, Microsoft has consistently impacted several aspiring entrepreneurs at crucial stages of their lives- right from their education to the moment they begin their own ventures. The initiatives include:
- DreamSpark, a program which provides developer tools to students free of charge. Over 4 million students have already gained access to the latest Microsoft tools in India through this.
- WebsiteSpark, a program that gives web designers and developers a jump-start by providing the tools and resources needed to build great websites, free of cost.
- I-spark, a program which fosters entrepreneurship and innovation amongst students across India, where colleges and universities are required to build an ‘Innovation Platform’ which acts as a ‘hub for collaboration’ amongst colleges, universities, government, quasi-government bodies, industry bodies and partners and so far 100, 000 students have benefitted through the ISpark centers.
- BizSpark, a program designed to accelerate the success of IT entrepreneurs through software support. Over 1300 startups provided professional software at no charge and actively engaged.
- BizSpark One, an invite only program, aimed at accelerating the growth of select high potential startups through a one-to-one relationship with Microsoft and a global community of advisors, investors, and peers. The three companies that are in the fast track include Gradatim, iCreate and Sportingmindz.
Speaking on the occasion, Kevin Turner, Chief Operating Officer, Microsoft Corporation said “India has witnessed unprecedented growth in the last couple of years where IT innovation has played a pivotal role in this growth story. India has some of the brightest young minds and Microsoft is committed to invest in India and support the large number of entrepreneurs and future entrepreneurs. These are exciting times, especially with the arrival of 3G and 4G technology, where customer demands and expectations are bound to increase dramatically for services on cloud and mobile platforms. At Microsoft, we are fully committed to providing our customers with cloud and mobile solutions, and we recognize the need to build a strong partner ecosystem to help us serve the needs of our customers and the key to building that ecosystem is supporting startups and students. Our success is largely based on the success of students, start ups and the continued fostering and development of an ecosystem that will contribute to the overall success of India”.
Speaking on the occasion, Moorthy Uppaluri, General Manager, Developer Platform Evangelism Team, Microsoft India, said, “India is on a progressive growth path and some of the most potent factors contributing to this are innovation and the spirit of entrepreneurship. This ‘Challenge’ is a platform and opportunity for aspiring entrepreneurs to leverage latest technologies to the optimum and showcase their innovation in creating business models that will have a positive impact on the overall development of India. Microsoft through initiatives such as these will continue to showcase its commitment towards creating a compelling future for people and businesses through innovation and research.”
Mr. Harkesh Mittal, Adviser & Head- National Science & Technology Entrepreneurship Development Board, Department of Science and Technology said, “We are living in an extremely competitive world and it is vital for entrepreneurs to be well equipped not only with the latest technologies, but at the same time, be mentored adequately to compete at a global platform. For a growing economy like India, there is a vital need to form a comprehensive product development ecosystem. This will not only propel further growth of the nation, but will also enable Indian companies to have a distinct identity that will set global benchmarks vis-à-vis product expertise. We are excited to join hands with Microsoft and AICTE and are hopeful that this partnership will act as catalyst to grow IT entrepreneurship & support the creation of local software economy in India.”
Dr. S S Mantha, Chairman, AICTE said, “One of the most potent tools that has been playing a pivotal role towards the development of a growing economy like India is technology. We are pleased to see an industry leader like Microsoft offer access to the latest technologies to young students and individuals. This, not only provides the young minds with a practical understanding of the impact of technology on business, but also gives encouragement to aspiring entrepreneurs.”
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About Microsoft India
Microsoft Corporation (India) Private Ltd is a subsidiary of Microsoft Corporation, USA. It has had a presence in India since 1990 and currently has offices in 13 cities – Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Chennai, Coimbatore, Hyderabad, Indore, Jaipur, Kochi, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi and Pune.
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