Tag: Microsoft for Startups

Today, we are proud to announce that Jeff Ma has joined Microsoft as General Manager of Microsoft for Startups supporting our global efforts around the world. If you have ever seen the hit movie 21, you already know part of his story. Based on their mastery of mathematics and probability, Jeff and his fellow MIT friends were able to win millions in Las Vegas through their ingenious approach to card-counting which inspired the film. Since then Jeff has launched four successful companies including CircleLending (sold to Virgin) Citizen Sports (sold to Yahoo) and tenXer (sold to Twitter.)

Beyond his work as a founder, Ma is a best-selling author and speaker who has applied his deep understanding of analytics to help professional sports teams like the San Francisco 49ers and the Portland Trail Blazers and media powerhouses like ESPN and Major League Baseball Advanced Media make better decisions using data.

We had the chance to catch up with Jeff and ask him a few questions.

Can you tell us what led you to Microsoft for Startups?

As a four-time founder myself, I understand and have deep empathy for the startup journey and what founders need to build a successful business. The prospect of working with startups with the incredible backdrop of Microsoft was extremely exciting.

Before I was even approached about the position, I was speaking with a friend about Microsoft’s resurgence in the past few years. We discussed how under Satya’s leadership the company’s culture has evolved in a meaningful way. By culture, I mean the cumulative effect of what people within the company do and more importantly how they do it. When I began to meet with people within the company, I was struck by their commitment to diversity and inclusion. The level of investment in supporting traditionally underrepresented communities was something that really resonated with me on a personal level.

What exactly does the Head of Microsoft for Startups do in role?

My responsibility will be to lead our Microsoft for Startups efforts in the 140 countries it services around the world. I’ll also work closely across the company to ensure that startups have pathways to learn about and leverage the best that Microsoft has to offer.

Is there a specific area that you’re passionate in supporting?

Earlier this year, Microsoft for Startups partnered with PitchBook and All Raise to launch a report that looked at the latest data and trends for gender diversity in the VC ecosystem. Analyzing 2019 data, the report delved into current investment trends across the US, looking at how valuations, investment sizes, time to exit and other measures differ by gender, as well as the impact women have as investors on the entrepreneurial gender gap. I’m looking forward to exploring how we can improve the equation for female founders in a substantive way.

What will be at the top of your list of action items?

From a technology standpoint, we currently offer startups up to $120k of Azure cloud credits as well as access to powerful tools like GitHub Enterprise and Visual Studio – I’ll be looking at ways we can expand that portfolio. On the business side, we offer a streamlined path for startups to sell alongside Microsoft. In the past year alone startups in the program are on track to secure over a $1BN dollars in sales opportunities. Particularly in today’s environment, I will be working with the team to make it dead simple for startups to connect their innovative solutions with Fortune 1000 companies.

Two years ago, we announced an ambitious goal to become the leading enterprise cloud for B2B startups in the world. Called Microsoft for Startups, we launched a founder-first program that delivers the technology, go-to-market and community benefits needed to catalyze startup success.

Since then, the industry has seen tremendous growth among B2B tech startups. According to PitchBook, venture capitalists bet $30 billion on enterprise startups in 2019, surpassing consumer tech funding for the first time in a decade.

Microsoft for Startups has witnessed that momentum firsthand. Thousands of startups from more than 140 countries have connected their game-changing solutions to our enterprise customers. Startups active in our program are on pace to close more than $1 billion in new sales opportunities over the next year alone.

To celebrate tomorrow’s hyper-scale companies, we are expanding member benefits to include:

• GitHub Enterprise: Starting today, all new and current startups in the program will receive access to GitHub Enterprise. GitHub Enterprise extends the flexibility and functionality of GitHub with features that simplify account administration and provide additional security, compliance and deployment controls as teams scale.

• Microsoft Power Platform: In the coming months, all new and current startups will also receive access to Microsoft Power Platform which empowers organizations to analyze data, build solutions, automate processes and create virtual agents.
  

What lies ahead for Microsoft for Startups?

Like the early-stage founders we support, there are big things in the pipeline.

We are committed to:

– Listening to the needs of startup communities around the world and employing these insights to guide our program experience from events and education, to unique vertical tracks such as our Quantum or Autonomous Driving

– Extending our reach even deeper into communities of under-estimated founders and ensuring diverse voices are heard and championed.

– Providing open access to distribution channels including our commercial marketplaces (Azure Marketplace and AppSource), cloud solution providers (CSP), and our enterprise sales force, all positioned to empower startups with unparalleled growth opportunities.

But don’t take our word for it.

Here are a few of the incredible startups and organizations we’re working with. We’re so happy to call them partners and to be a part of their continued success.

“Element AI has progressed from a startup to an AI solutions provider that is helping organizations operationalize AI to drive business impact, led by fundamental research teams that are connected to the best academic ecosystems. We joined the Microsoft for Startups program to accelerate the commercialization of our AI products and solutions with customers around the world.” 

– Omar Dhalla, Senior Vice President at Element AI

“Eagle Genomics now sells together with Microsoft — a relationship that has doubled the size of our platform business in the past year and cemented a major deal with Unilever.”

– Anthony Finbow: Chief Executive Officer, Eagle Genomics

“Through the Microsoft for Startups program, we were able to connect with Microsoft’s vast partner ecosystem.  We recently forged a global alliance with Arrow Electronics which allows us to deliver our IoT solutions to over 200,000 leading manufacturers and service providers.” 

– Ron Rock, Microshare CEO and cofounder

“TechStars is the worldwide network that helps entrepreneurs succeed, and our Global Network Partners — including Microsoft — are an important part of our network. Microsoft adds powerful industry expertise by offering hands-on mentorship, business development opportunities and access to resources that help accelerate our global startups across 150 countries. Microsoft for Startups provides a streamlined path for B2B startups to connect with the world’s leading enterprise companies and we congratulate them on their two-year anniversary.” 

– Max Mead, SVP of Business Development

“Clobotics is headquartered in both Shanghai and Seattle, and our solution is aimed at Fortune 1000 enterprises The Microsoft for Startups program was instrumental in connecting us with global customers including Walmart, P&G and Coca-Cola.”

– George Yan Founder of CEO of Clobotics

Tags: Microsoft for Startups

Startups, especially in the AI space, have a multitude of unique, daily challenges, from selecting the right technology systems to improving their algorithms to building a robust sales pipeline.

That’s why today at Slush we announced that we are teaming with NVIDIA to give cutting-edge startups developing AI technologies fewer things to worry about by providing them preferred access to the Microsoft for Startups and NVIDIA Inception programs. Now, eligible startups active in our respective programs can receive preferred access and reciprocal benefits, including free or discounted technology, go-to-market support and access to technical experts.

Eligible NVIDIA Inception AI startups can access Microsoft for Startups’ premium offer, providing:

· Free access to Microsoft technologies, including up to $120k of free Azure cloud.

· Dedicated go-to-market resources to help startups sell alongside our global sales teams and partner channel.

Eligible Microsoft for Startups AI members can access NVIDIA Inception benefits including:

· Free credits for NVIDIA Deep Learning Institute online courses, such as the Fundamentals of Deep Learning for Computer Vision, Accelerating Data Science, and Image Classification.

· Access to go-to-market NVIDIA Inception Connect events and marketing support.

· Unlimited access to DevTalk—a forum built for technical inquiries and community engagement.

· Guidance on which GPU applications and hardware are best suited for your needs.

· Discounts on NVIDIA DGX systems, NVIDIA GPU accelerators, NVIDIA Quadro pro graphics, and NVIDIA TITAN GPUs for deep learning.

This partnership will allow us to accelerate AI startups with NVIDIA’s deep technical expertise and market-leading GPU technology on Microsoft Azure, combined with both companies’ ability to connect startups with customers.

Launched in February 2018, Microsoft for Startups is a comprehensive global program designed to support startups as they build and scale their companies. Since we launched, companies active with Microsoft for Startups are on track to drive $1B in pipeline opportunity by the end of 2020. To find out more about the Microsoft for Startups and to apply for the program, click here.

NVIDIA Inception is a virtual accelerator program that supports startups harnessing GPUs for AI and data science applications during critical stages of product development, prototyping and deployment. Since its launch in 2016, the program has expanded to over 5,000 companies. To find out more about NVIDIA Inception, click here.

Microsoft for Startups and FounderFuel, Montreal’s largest startup accelerator, announced today that they would be working together to accelerate the growth of Canadian AI startups. Starting this month, qualified startups in the FounderFuel cohort will receive access to Microsoft business and technical experts as well as access to free Azure cloud and powerful development tools.

Founder Fuel helps early stage companies go to market, raise capital and make connections with entrepreneurs, investors, and industry leaders in Montreal and across Canada.

Isaac Souweine, General Manager of Founder Fuel said “We are proud to start this new relationship with Microsoft, which has always played an important leadership role in the tech industry. Our mission is to help startups grow and develop into successful businesses and Microsoft is well positioned to help us in those efforts through both technological support and mentorship. Additionally, we believe Microsoft’s support for FounderFuel startups is a sign of the importance of Montreal as a leading tech hub.”

Through this relationship, Microsoft experts will be available to mentor FounderFuel startups through the course of the program. Additionally, eligible startups in the program will receive preferred access to free Azure cloud, go-to-market benefits and the opportunity to sell alongside Microsoft.

Adam Nanjee, Managing Director of Microsoft for Startups Canada said, “This new partnership is an important step in our efforts to deepen our support for startups in Montreal and Canada overall. FounderFuel plays a vital role in helping startups succeed in Montreal, one of the world’s foremost centers of AI development and we look forward to working with them to provide startups with the mentorship and technological resources they need to succeed.”

Earlier today, the government of Abu Dhabi announced  the launch of Hub71, a new technology hub designed to spur innovation and development in the Middle East. Based in Abu Dhabi, Hub71’s mission is to help start-ups and entrepreneurs develop, scale and build transformational businesses.

With Mubadala Investment Company leading Hub71, Microsoft will play a central role as a global technology partner, while SoftBank Vision Fund will leverage its investment networks to create a focal point for tech innovation in the region. Abu Dhabi Global Market, the business enabler completes the ecosystem creating an environment for innovation and entrepreneurial success. Within Hub71 we will host a Microsoft Reactor which will serve as a learning destination for founders and developers to work on tech projects, engage with each other and strengthen their local community while accessing leading technologies and industry experts.

You can find out more about Hub71 here you can read more about Microsoft Reactors here.

Back in September, we shared the news that Microsoft for Starutps had joined Backstage Capital as a launch partner for Backstage Accelerator. Today, Backstage shared details of the first cohorts of startups at its four accelerator locations with Fast Company and announced that the programs are launching in the coming weeks.

The first cohort of startups at Backstage Accelerator

At Microsoft for Startups, we’re focused on creating much greater diversity within our startup ecosystem. The founders who have been chosen to be a part of Backstage Capital’s inaugural cohorts represent a step toward greater diversity and representation and we’re excited to contribute support.

The new Backstage Accelerator is a three-month program “designed to give founders the support they need to reach their next critical milestone.” With locations in Detroit, London, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia, Backstage Accelerator is created for underrepresented founders, providing them with the tools and mentorship needed for success.

To that end we will be providing technology and business support, extending the Microsoft for Startups offer to qualified Backstage Accelerator startups, and by committing mentorship and guidance to startups in the program.

The accelerators are scheduled to launch over the coming weeks:

● Detroit – March 12

● Philadelphia – March 21

● Los Angeles – March 26

● London – April 2

For more information about Backstage Accelerator and its cohort startups, you can visit: https://backstagecapital.com/accelerator/

If you would like more information about Microsoft for Startups, you can see our list of benefits here: https://startups.microsoft.com/en-us/benefits/