bizspark one

while day one of pdc was full of fantastic announcements around our cloud computing strategy, windows azure, one announcement might have slipped through the cracks. the announcement of bizspark one. since the announcement of bizspark one, i have been getting quite a few questions from my network partners and startups about what it is all about. so here is the gist of the program.

bizspark one, the latest expansion of bizspark, is a new program to accelerate the growth of selected high potential startups through a one-on-one relationship with microsoft and a global community of advisors, investors, and peers. the program is currently available in the following ten countries: brazil, russia, india, israel, china, the united kingdom, france, germany, canada, and the united states and we are continuing to explore opportunities to expand to other countries.

the question most startups are asking “is this different than bizspark?” the answer is not really. bizspark one builds on the bizspark foundation, and focuses on a one-to-one relationship. each startup in the program has a dedicated relationship manager who serves as a guide and evangelist to connect the startup with the right people and resources within microsoft and across its broad ecosystem. relationship managers learn each startup’s business and deliver a customized plan to help ensure that the resources, assistance, and guidance provided are closely aligned with each startup’s business strategy and needs.

participation in bizspark one is by invitation only. if you haven’t already done so, i encourage you to join bizspark and become a part of the bizspark community.  if bizspark isn’t the right fit, microsoft offers a wide range of other programs and resources designed to help your business succeed. to learn more, visit www.microsoftstartupzone.com.

while i have been working with the program for a few months now, it is exciting to see it go public. i am also equally excited to hear from all you high potential startups in the 18 states of microsoft’s central region that i serve!