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Thursday, 28.03.2024, 16:22
Microsoft for Startups program launching in Baltics
Microsoft is committing 500 mln US dollars over
the next two years to offer joint sales engagements with startups, along with
access to technology, and new community spaces that promote collaboration across
local and global ecosystems. With the program's goal, support and partnership
with TechChill that helps Microsoft meet
startup communities in Baltics, startups with a potential can turn into the
next Baltic success story such as Skype.
Startup ecosystems are growing around the world, and Baltic
states are no different. Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania offer talented
developers, creatives and young, strategic thinking founders. By acknowledging
the promising ideas and works of entrepreneurs, Microsoft for Startups invests
and takes a unique approach to connect startup founders with new customers and
expanding their market, as well as uniting them with like-minded people and
potential partners.
“In the spring of this year, we presented a new support
program for startups in Latvia, and now we aim to find the new unicorns in
Baltics and support their journey into the global business. Microsoft has its
offices in more than 120 countries and we have the luxury to consult startups
on business development, as well as to support the sales process when it comes
to ready products”, shares Renate Strazdina, Microsoft
Baltics General Manager.
Microsoft in Baltics works with startups of
all sizes and all stages of their development path. Program offers different
community benefits: Cloud marketplace promotion and sales support
that allows startups to have Microsoft cloud marketplaces for
the advantage of promotional benefits, as well as use the instantaneous lead
sharing that is integrated into the startups CRM system when opening an
application or solution in Azure Marketplace or AppSource, Microsoft
Partner Network - company’s worldwide partner ecosystem that allows
to discover how Microsoft can help in expanding the business
and reach customers, Microsoft's On demand technical resources
helps startups to build on Azure including code samples, Azure roadmap, Azure updates,
knowledge center, and technical courses, On demand business resources assists
startups on building the cloud business model and market strategy, including
tutorials, partner profitability models, business design sessions, and other
go-to-market guidance, and last - program includes participating in local
community events with Microsoft executives, technical and
business experts.
Microsoft has more than 40,000 sales
representatives and hundreds of thousands of partners with the goal to
introduce Microsoft cloud solutions to companies and
industries around the globe. The program provides dedicated resources to
prepare startup marketing and sales side to effectively sell their cloud
solutions to company organizations in partnership with Microsoft’s global
sales organization and partner ecosystem. The program provides startups with up
to $120,000 in free Azure credits, technical support, and
development tools – supporting the languages of their choice, such as Node.js,
Java, and .NET. In addition, startups get an access to business applications,
including Office 365 and Microsoft Dynamics 365.
The program in Latvia was launched this spring and turned
out to be very successful. One of the startups, Pilot Automotive Labs,
has received Azure credits to work on their product and bring
safer and more efficient personal transportation saving time and mitigating
traffic to everyone. There are already many startups that incorporate Azure
Cloud services to continue the development of created solutions and
products, and Microsoft is excited to see these startups and
founders across the global business environment.
To make the best of the Microsoft for Startups, company
is collaboration with experienced partners that supports Microsoft to
connect business world with the startup ecosystems, for example, ALSO
Latvia is sharing their technical support and expertise, Lux
Technologies as an example of how to develop the business and grow the
company outside the Baltic states, IBD Consulting with sales
and business development knowledge, Blue Dom Capital venture
capital fund and many more.
The program is launched in close partnership with TechChill, the
biggest startup event in the Baltics which gathers promising startup founders,
business executives and tech enthusiasts in Riga every February. As the local
startup organization with one of the largest startup community networks in
Baltics, TechChill helps build bridges between experienced
business representatives and startup builders to support the partner program
and helps to interact with the startups.
Startups, entrepreneurs and young generation itself pushes
experienced companies to build new products for improving the personal and
professional life. Microsoft is honored to team up with
startups to empower people and organizations everywhere.