Microsoft BizSpark Plus Program

Program Overview

Microsoft BizSpark is a global program designed to help accelerate the success of early stage startups. The new BizSpark Plus Program is an extension of the BizSpark Program, designed to provide high potential startups with additional offers, products and services from Microsoft, available through select incubators and accelerators. These BizSpark Plus Partners are chosen for their exceptional ability to impact their local markets, their influence in the entrepreneurial community and their proven success with early-stage startups. BizSpark Plus offers are available to leading startups by invite-only through their relationship with BizSpark Plus Partners. Incubators, Accelerators and Investors in the Startup Ecosystem provide startups with such things as coaching, mentoring, investment, workspace, etc. BizSpark Plus will complement the community by providing generous access to Microsoft Technology.

Windows Azure for BizSpark Plus

Microsoft wants to help startups grow their businesses. We know that every dollar saved through our offers can be spent in other areas of the business – hiring more developers, investing in marketing, or acquiring new customers.

The first offer, Windows Azure for BizSpark Plus, helps cover a startup’s cloud computing costs. Windows Azure is a simple, reliable, and powerful cloud-computing platform for hosting applications and the creation of web applications and services. Through this offer, startups will get up to $60,000 of value over two years*:

• All the Windows Azure a startup needs to run their business for the first year
• 50% off Windows Azure retail for the second year

SEE MORE: http://www.microsoft.com/BizSpark/Plus/Default.aspx

Applications are now open for MIPTV’s competitions for start-ups and digital creatives. We hope to see lots of applications from this group! If you’ve got amazing new transmedia concepts that need support and international exposure, these competitions are for you!

MIPCube, the two-day high-level networking and live learning experience for the business and creative architects driving the future of TV is about to get disruptive, with the launch of MIPCube Lab. This second edition of the TV start-up competition will see innovative companies from around the world pitch their business plans and prototypes to a judging panel of television executives, successful entrepreneurs and venture capitalists in the hope of being named “2012 most promising disruptive TV start-up.” MIPCube Lab will take place during MIPCube in Cannes on Friday 30 March, just ahead of the 2012 edition of MIPTV (1-4 April).

“During MIPCube Lab, we are looking to unearth game-changing innovations that will significantly contribute to altering the face of TV in all its forms,” said Laurine Garaude, director of Reed MIDEM’s Television Division. “MIPCube attendees will be immersed in a unique, limited-participant highly networked cutting edge environment, before joining the thousands of executives who attend the biggest professional market in the TV industry: MIPTV.”

Special offer to start-ups

MIPCube Lab is reputed to be the only start-up competition to be tightly integrated into the TV industry and its future. It provides a global platform for start-ups to get feedback from the most powerful and innovative decision makers in the TV business and obtain funding from the finance community. Applicants have until Monday 20 February to submit applications for the competition. Finalists will be mentored by jury members at the show to review and rehearse their presentations. Dharmash Mistry, partner at leading UK-based venture capital investors, Balderton Capital, will act as jury leader.

Submissions to the MIPCube Lab competition are free of charge. In parallel, there is also a special rate offered to start-ups to participate in MIPCube.

MIPCube Website
MIPCube on Facebook
MIPCube on Twitter

For more information about MIPTV, visit www.miptv.com.

SOURCE: AppMarket.tv