18.02.09 | Incubator | Microsoft

Technoport was pleased to host the official launch of the BizSpark program of Microsoft here in Luxembourg in presence of the Minister the Economy and Foreign Trade, Mr. Jeannot Krecké.

Find below the official press release of Microsoft for that event.

Microsoft helps, through its Network Partners Technoport and Luxinnovation, young startup companies with kick start thanks to BizSpark program

“Win-win-win initiative”: says Minister Krecké

Luxembourg, February 18 2009 - Microsoft has successfully launched in Luxembourg it’s BizSpark program. 2 Network Partners (Technoport & Luxinnovation) and a Hosting Partner have already engaged themselves in the program; the first start ups are subscribing. Mister Jeannot Krecké, Minister of Economy and Foreign Trade has welcomed the initiative of Microsoft as a positive way to challenge the economic downturn and help young entrepreneurs. BizSpark is an innovative new program that helps startups by providing the quick and easy access to Microsoft tools and technologies, the support and experience of network partners and the hosted software services of Hosting Partners. The program is free for the starting entrepreneurs for a period of 3 years with a symbolic exit fee of 100 EUR. Currently, the first applicants are subscribing. Wordbee SA, a technology and services company providing innovative solutions to streamline and optimize translation processes was amongst the first to sign-up in Luxembourg.

BizSpark is a sponsor-based program. Within the program Network and Hosting Partners engage themselves to find and sponsor eligible companies that could use the gentle help of the BizSpark program. These young companies are offered fast and easy access to Microsoft’s current development tools, platform technologies and production or hosting licenses, which allow them to develop and market immediately innovative solutions. Additionally, these start-ups get support from Microsoft and the Network Partners community. These partners can be incubators, government agencies, investors or hosters who are actively involved in software-enabled innovation and entrepreneurship. Moreover they get visibility to an audience of potential investors, clients and partners through the online Startup directory, called BizSpark DB. In this database they have the chance to be highlighted as featured company or as BizSpark Company of the week.

“I gladly support this initiative of Microsoft and its partners” says Minister Krecké. “It is a very smart action to stimulate young entrepreneurs to step into an innovative and rewarding industry where they can develop new businesses and markets. As young entrepreneurs, they can fall back on the experience of partners who have been active in the industry for years, making it less hard to be successful. In their turn partners can benefit of the new activities these start-ups bring about. For a politician, it is a thankful task to support a win-win-win initiative.” To be eligible for the program, start-ups need to meet a couple of requirements. They have to run a privately held business that is less than 3 years in business. They also should be engaged in the development of a software-based product or service that will constitute the main part of their business, and their annual revenue should be less than 1 million $. In return they get Visual Studio software for development, testing and demonstration. To host their “software as a service” application to their clients, they can get Windows Server, SQL Server, Biztalk server and Sharepoint server for the hosting of internet sites and Systems Center for managing their server operations. In the meantime 2 organizations in Luxembourg joined the program as Network Partner, the Technoport and Luxinnovation.

“BizSpark is a great initiative for us”, says Diego De Biasio Manager of Technoport, the technology oriented business incubator of CRP Henri Tudor. “It does not just help new established start-up companies within our incubator to actively step into entrepreneurship in an industry that is thriving. We will be able to set-up a dedicated IT development infrastructure, called “Technoport Lab”, within our pre-commercial program, which is more dedicated to individuals or small teams that plan to set-up a company but haven’t yet taken the final decision. This “Lab” concept will also be at the disposal of development teams within the Public Research Centre Henri Tudor and, who knows, could potentially and hopefully lead to some interesting spin-off projects in the future.”

“As the first –stop shop for innovative entrepreneurs we welcome every initiative that makes starting up in Luxembourg easier and we think that this is the case of BizSpark. This initiative allows start-up companies to get an easy and free of charge access to Microsoft software. There are no exclusivity conditions attached to the program and the start-ups can leave the community whenever they like. We are glad to be a part of it and to open new doors for our start-ups.” says Isabelle Schlesser, Secretary General of Luxinnovation, the National Agency for Innovation and Research. José Vega, CEO and co-founder of Wordbee SA, to add: "The BizSpark program meant a substantial change for us in terms of product development and delivery. First, we could afford adopting the full Team Foundation platform for substantially better organization and quality control of development processes. Secondly, we are now able to run our web solutions in a much better scaled server environment – at the obvious benefit of our clients. "

Thierry Fromes, General Manager of Microsoft Luxembourg sees this initiative as one of the many his company rolls out to support the economy in difficult times. “We do support with BizSpark new entrepreneurs who are making their first steps in the market. For me BizSpark is very valuable while it helps youngsters enter a market with great potential. We offer them resources at a time when they need it the most, thus adding to their chances to be successful. Everybody wins here: and the starters and the network and hosting partners. That is the way Microsoft constantly fuels the ecosystem: leveling the field for partners to make and run a profitable business". All relevant information can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/bizspark/