[Updated Jan 6, 2010, see below for further detail.]
For those of you who follow mainstream tech news you've probably heard about Microsoft's entry into the "Cloud" with the Windows Azure Platform, initially announced over a year ago, and finally moving to production as of early 2010. Over the past few weeks I've received a lot of questions from startups wanting more details as to exactly what it offers, and the pricing model. It hit me the other night while I was at the Finals night of Amazon's Web Services' Startup Challenge in Silicon Valley, that we need to do a much better job of simply explaining what Windows Azure is, and spelling out how it can help your startup getting up and running faster, while providing the strong and scalable infrastructure that we're known for, at an affordable pay-as-you-go price.
One of the cool, and multifunctional things, about Azure is that it not only offers a production environment and Windows operating system in the cloud, but also offers the ability for you to snap into a fully relational cloud-based database with SQL Azure, and includes the Azure "AppFabric" which is a set of technologies that make it easier to build, scale and manage Web and composite applications that run on-premises.
Currently, Azure is still in "Community Technology Preview" (CTP) until the end of January 2010, which means that you can get onto Azure and test it out for free until it officially goes into Commercial mode on Feb 1, 2010. [UPDATE: While the CTP is still open until 1/31/10; beginning January 1, 2010 the registration process for entrance to the CTP has changed. See UPDATE below for more specific registration details.] Normally, to get into the CTP you'd have to go through a registration sign up process on the main site – however, as BizSpark we've held a number of Azure CTP tokens back so that we can give them to you quickly and easily. To get one of these email us right now and we'll shoot you one right back. To get access to Azure CTP please follow one of the three options below.
For those of you who aren't, perhaps, terribly familiar with how one would do that check out this easy step-by-step tutorial that will guide you through creating and uploading your own "Hello World" Azure application on a single Web page. Once you have the Azure token, this whole process only takes about 45 minutes. Even if you don't write in .NET check out the Azure SDK for PHP, or Azure SDK for Java.
Now, if you have an application that you're ready to go to market with, you should check out the FrontRunner for Azure program, which offers a lot of free technical support and marketing benefits.
The full Azure pricing info is here, but for BizSpark companies we will have a number of special offers for you that bring down the cost even more – full details to come soon!
To summarize, email us here choose one of the three options below to get into Azure so you can fool around with it and see if it fits your needs. As Azure rolls out into full commercial production there will be a lot more that we, the BizSpark team, do with it to show you why it's the best cloud offering out there, and demonstrate its competitiveness in the market. I look forward to the challenge!
Please write me with any thoughts, comments, or questions at jacob.mullins@microsoft.com or follow me on twitter @jacob.
UPDATE: While the CTP is still open until Jan 31, 2010; beginning January 1, 2010 the registration process for entrance to the CTP has changed.
There are now three easy options:
- Open to Everyone (Do this if you're not a BizSpark member):
Windows Azure Platform Introductory Special Offer . Click
here
to sign up for the offer.
- MSDN Subscribers (Do this if you are a BizSpark member):
Windows Azure Platform Benefits for MSDN Subscribers . Click
here
and click on the Windows Azure Platform link on the My Account page to sign up for the offer.
PLUS (USA only): Get FREE technical support while developing your Azure applications. Click here to become a Front Runner for Windows Azure Platform.
Don't miss next week's GreenBeat conference, the next in a line of conferences produced by VentureBeat, happening Nov 18-19 in San Mateo. GreenBeat will focus on the topics, concerns and questions of the smart grid and have a laser focus on the technology offerings that enable this innovation. BizSpark is happy to be a sponsor of VentureBeat and their initiatives and to support the development of green technologies through our product offerings, for more on Microsoft's green initiatives click here.
The speaker line up is quite impressive including newly announced Vinod Khosla, as well as Al Gore, John Doerr, Steve Westley and many other greentech luminaries from companies like PG&E, IBM, Siemens, Microsoft, Oracle, Cisco and many others. Here's the full agenda with listed speakers.
VentureBeat is happy to offer BizSpark startups and partners a 25% discount, use the code "GBbizspark" or click here to register. If you're in LA next week, don't miss The Underground at Microsoft's Professional Developer's Conference on Wednesday, Nov 18, 2009 from 7pm to 1am. You do not have to be a registered PDC attendee to attend this evening event. The Underground will bring together PDC attendees, the local startup and developer community in LA, and Microsoft business and product teams to showcase the vision and roadmap of Microsoft's Developer Platform and highlight newly released technical strategy & announcements from PDC. There's also going to be lots of good food and drink.
The shindig is happening at the Conga Room in downtown LA, near to Staples Center and will feature:
Keynote, Scott Guthrie, Corporate Vice President,.NET Developer Platform
Newly released PDC 2009 announcements & technology roadmap
Network with hundreds of local developers, architects, designers & community
Signature savory pan Latin cusine & cocktails provided by the legendary Wolfgang Puck Catering
Chance to win prizes including: Windows Mobile Devices, XBOX System, Zune HDs & More
If you're a BizSpark company and want to attend email me at jacob [dot] mullins [at] microsoft [dot] com, with subject line "The Underground". See you in LA!
Microsoft BizSpark is again proud to be the title sponsor of the second annual startup Accelerator at SXSW, taking place over two days March 15-16, 2010 in Austin, Texas. Last year's inaugural BizSpark Accelerator was a hit generating over 200 startup company applications from across the US, culminating in four winners in each category Popcuts (music), TubeMogul (video), Weardrobe (social networking), and Ribbit (innovative web).
The search is on again for this year's top startups in the following categories, application deadline is less than one month away – December 4, 2009!
- Entertainment Technologies – This category pertains to applications and technologies for film, music, television, and gaming, as well as new and hybrid forms of entertainment that are reinventing the ways in which we relax, unwind, and have fun
- Green / Non-Profit – This category pertains to applications and technologies that make the world a better place. Entrants will include non-profit initiatives, Government 2.0 technologies, energy efficiency applications and frameworks, "social media for the social good," and more
- Innovative Web Technologies – This category pertains to applications and technologies that have the ambition to change the Web as we know it. Right now we're seeing lots of innovation in real-time search, augmented reality, artificial intelligence and the semantic web, recommendations technologies, personalization technologies, and "big data," but this is just the beginning
- Social Media and Social Networking Technologies – This category pertains to applications and technologies that help people connect. With this category we're looking for new and interesting use cases, as well as technologies that push the boundaries of how we find, follow and share information with others
For more information on the Microsoft BizSpark Accelerator at SXSW click here. To submit your company to the Accelerator click here; if you are a BizSpark company you can get a reduced application fee, to request please contact Chris Valentine at SXSW at chris [at] sxsw [dot] com.
Post by James Senior
Innovation was rife and developers were coding like demons possessed at the Startup Weekend in Redmond this weekend as groups took ideas from whiteboard to demoware in a coffee fuelled 54 hours. It was great to see a wide range of platforms and technologies in play from ASP.NET MVC web apps, AJAX and Silverlight RIAs and mobile clients on WinMo, Palm and iPhone.
The big winner was an app called "Search Kick", a contextual search app, who walked away with a cool $5000 in cash and a potential investment in the future from H-Farm, also for $5000. Also in the top three was… [Read more on James Senior's blog here.]
Calling all developers and coders, the Microsoft Live Services team is rolling into San Francisco to host a Hackathon on the new Live Messenger platform and product. The Hackathon is happening Wednesday evening, May 27, from 5:30pm-10pm, at Microsoft's downtown San Francisco offices located at 835 Market St. You'll have a chance to play around with the new web APIs, work with the Live Messenger product development team, and compete to win prizes like Xbox 360s, Zunes, and other bodacious hardware.
Other treats will be hearing from McCann's Chief Innovation Officer, Mark Ruxin, on his secrets for innovating within an economic downturn; as well as nearly endless pizza and drinks.
Please RSVP here: http://hackathon.eventbrite.com/
What's in it for me?
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Hear from Marc Ruxin (Chief Innovation Officer for McCann) on secrets for innovating in a downturn
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Build a web app that uses Messenger APIs with the Messenger Devs
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Prizes for best implementations - Xbox 360, Zunes, Microsoft Hardware up for grabs!
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Oh yeah, and we have beer and Pizza ;-)
When is it? (27th May 2009)
5:30 - 6:00pm: Arrival, Beers, Pizza
6:00 - 6:20pm: Marc Ruxin on secrets for innovating in a downturn
6:20 - 6:40pm: Messenger Library High Level
6:40 - 7:00pm: Chill, Network, Beer, Pizza (Biz Guys can slink off)
7:00 - 7:30pm: Messenger Library Deeper Dive
7:30 - 10:00pm: Hackathon - let's code!
Please RSVP here: http://hackathon.eventbrite.com/
Who should attend?
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CxO - for the how to innovate in a downturn and networking
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Developers - for the hackathon
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Everyone - for the beer and pizza!
What do I need to bring?
Bring your codebase for a web app (if you have one) on your laptop so you can work together with the Messenger experts from Windows Live to hack instant messaging into your site!
No web app? Don't worry we can load a sample site with code onto your laptop instead.
A bit of background on Live Messenger:
We won't bore you with too much marketing fluff, but you should know that Windows Live Messenger is the world's most popular IM network with over 320m users and we've opened up our APIs so that web applications can integrate with our service to provide cool experiences for their users. To find out more about the Messenger APIs, check out http://dev.live.com/messenger
Here's a sneak peak at what you can build:
http://www.viddler.com/explore/anguslogan/videos/1/
Please RSVP here: http://hackathon.eventbrite.com/
I'm delighted to highlight that in continuing with BizSpark's promise of providing young startup companies the software tools, support, and visibility to be successful, that we are meaningfully involved in the inaugural semester of The Founder Institute beginning May 19, 2009. But hurry, the application deadline is May 10! 
 The Founder Institute was created by veteran entrepreneur, and Founding Member of TheFunded.com, Adeo Ressi. With him Adeo brings years of entrepreneurial experience, his inside knowledge of structuring companies, and in invaluable rolodex which he has used to bring in the Institute's mentors. Each session of the Institute's curriculum will be taught by different mentors, and the list is not short and extremely distinguished including Michael Arrington (TechCrunch), Jason Calacanis (Mahalo), Mark Pincus (Zynga), Scott Heiferman (Meetup.com), James Hong (HotorNot.com) and many more.
Also unique about The Founder Institute are the "extremely pro-founder" terms, as Adeo tells me. He says that he's worked long and hard with his legal counsel to structure the most founder-friendly terms of any early-stage incubator out there. Ressi says that, "The Institute's unique equity-sharing model aligns incentives and ensures maximum effort from all parties involved. When one of the Institute's companies does well, all of the participating companies benefit - and when the Institute's Mentors help the participating companies, they share in the upside as well."
Microsoft BizSpark is thrilled to be involved as the Institute's first Charter Sponsor, and we look forward to a long and successful relationship with them as they grow. As a part of our involvement we are offering:
- Founders access to the full suite of Microsoft products for development purposes through the BizSpark program
- Founders will gain access to the BizSpark network for investor, vendor, and advisor contacts
- Five Founders will be BizSpark Fellows, receiving a scholarship to the institute,
- Microsoft will make facilities available for Summer 2009 sessions
If you're a passionate Founder and want to apply for entrance to the Institute please apply here; but do so quickly because there are only 3 days left! For more information visit www.founderinstitute.com or contact jonathan@thefunded.com
Microsoft BizSpark is proud to be the Premier Sponsor of Silicon Alley Insider's first annual Startup 2009 conference. In its inaugural year, Startup 2009 will showcase 10 top startups competing for bragging rights, buzz, and a $50,000 prize. Startup 2009 takes place during New York's Internet Week on Wednesday, June 3 at NYU's Stern School of Business in New York City.
The folks over at Silicon Alley Insider see this as the first of what they hope will become an annual forum for outstanding entrepreneurs and early-stage companies to meet VCs, investors, journalists, and other members of the East Coast startup community. In order to be one of the showcased 10 top startups your company must be in the early stages of development and not yet professionally financed. For full eligibility requirements click here, and to apply click here.
If you're a startup entrepreneur and want to get keyed into the East Coast startup tech scene this will be the conference to attend. BizSpark is proud to be involved and we're looking forward to getting to meet everyone there in June!
Click here for more information on Microsoft BizSpark and to get registered don't hesitate to email me jacob [dot] mullins [at] microsoft [dot] com. | View in Web Browser | /_layouts/images/ichtmxls.gif | /Blogs/jacobmullins/_layouts/xlviewer.aspx?listguid={ListId}&itemid={ItemId}&DefaultItemOpen=1 | 0x0 | 0x1 | FileType | xlsx | 255 | | View in Web Browser | /_layouts/images/ichtmxls.gif | /Blogs/jacobmullins/_layouts/xlviewer.aspx?listguid={ListId}&itemid={ItemId}&DefaultItemOpen=1 | 0x0 | 0x1 | FileType | xlsb | 255 | | Snapshot in Excel | /_layouts/images/ewr134.gif | /Blogs/jacobmullins/_layouts/xlviewer.aspx?listguid={ListId}&itemid={ItemId}&Snapshot=1 | 0x0 | 0x1 | FileType | xlsx | 256 | | Snapshot in Excel | /_layouts/images/ewr134.gif | /Blogs/jacobmullins/_layouts/xlviewer.aspx?listguid={ListId}&itemid={ItemId}&Snapshot=1 | 0x0 | 0x1 | FileType | xlsb | 256 |
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Jacob Mullins
Startup Development Manager, Microsoft BizSpark
Jacob joined Microsoft in Fall 2008 after founding two startup companies of his own, and leading the sales and business development efforts of VentureBeat.com. Jacob is based in San Francisco and is devoted to helping startups find success through technology, marketing, and connecting with the right people.
@jacob on twitter
Recent Posts
Startups: Get access to MS’s cloud “Azure” in minutes
December 11, 2009
GreenBeat: Gore, Khosla, Doerr & more – 25% off
November 13, 2009
In LA next week? Don’t miss The Underground at PDC 2009
November 10, 2009
Submit your startup to the BizSpark Accelerator at SXSW!
November 9, 2009
Upcoming Live Messenger Hackathon 5/27 in San Francisco
May 20, 2009
LAST CALL for applications to the new Founder Institute to be mentored by top startup CEOs
May 7, 2009
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Featured Startup
The BizSpark startup of the day is Avetrium, based in Canada. You will find below an interview with Tim Smith, COO of Avetrium. All the best to them and congrats for being the startup of the day!
Read more...
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