Apr 16

Written by:
2010/04/16 07:32 AM 

Microsoft is offering you literally 100 000’s of dollars worth of software absolutely free. No upfront costs at all. You can download most of all Microsoft Software with legitimate and legal product keys, absolutely free. It’s insane.

If you are a start-up business in the development arena, then you can join the Microsoft BizSpark program where you can download tons of legal Microsoft software for free.

BizSpark for early stage start-ups

Are you concerned about the costs of starting up your business. Are you pirating Microsoft software just because as a start-up you can’t afford the licensing costs. Well no need to fight any more. Because Microsoft is offering a program for early stage start-ups called "BizSpark". BizSpark offers early stage companies Microsoft products at no up-front cost.

Microsoft has four pre-requisites for a start-up to join BizSpark.

1. must be building a software based product,
2. should have been in existence for less than 3 years,
3. makes less than USD 1 million, and,
4. is privately held.

“A start-up can be a part of the program for three years (they will have to renew their membership annually), unless they get disqualified because they have gone public (or have been acquired by a company that does not qualify for BizSpark) or if their revenue is greater than USD 1 million.”

What sort of software can you download?

Microsoft is offering development tools as well as production licences of their server products.

For development, testing and demonstration, start-ups can download the software included in the Visual Studio Team System Team Suite (VSTS) with MSDN Premium, plus VSTS Team Foundation Server (Standard Edition).

For office integration you can download all flavours of Microsoft Office and accompanying tools.

For production use (that is, to deploy and host an application over the internet), start-ups can download and use Windows Server, SQL Server, BizTalk Server, and Office SharePoint Server for Internet Sites hosting, as well as Systems Centre for managing hosting server operations.

On top of all that you will need an operating system to run it all on. Microsoft offers all flavours of their operating system, from XP, Vista, even the new and acclaimed Windows 7

Here is a list of categories and number of software programs that you can download once you join and are approved.

• New Downloads (16)
• Applications (68)
• Business Solutions (25)
• Designer Tools (5)
• Developer Tools (43)
• MSDN Library (11)
• Operating Systems (29)
• Servers (75)
• Tools and Resources (106)

How does this help you as a start-up?

Are you kidding me? Look at the obvious benefit of a huge cost saving as well as the ability to participate in and use the latest technology that Microsoft offers.

You also get an MSDN subscription, as well as a large support network. With the support Microsoft includes the following:

• Guidance, resources and mentoring provided by Network Partners, active members of the global software ecosystem who are qualified to provide support and advice to Start-ups
• Access to MSDN Premium: managed newsgroups, online library, online concierge, etc.
• Two technical support Incidents per Start-up

That’s not all. You also have the opportunity to market and promote your business and start-up through the Microsoft BizSpark network. They call this the visibility program.

• Each BizSpark Start-up will have the opportunity to profile their company in the BizSparkDB, an online Start-up directory, hosted on the Microsoft® Start-up Zone web site. Start-ups will get exposure to potential investors, partners and customers around the world.
• Opportunity to be highlighted on the BizSparkDB as a featured company and be promoted as BizSpark Company of the Week on the Microsoft® Start-up Zone website.

But that’s not all. You also have access to Microsoft's e-learning program. Microsoft offers business training as well as technical training at no extra cost. To top it all Microsoft offers a whole bunch of resources that will help you from Funding basics, to business models, hiring, leadership, to Branding and marketing. Find out more at BizSpark e-Learning

You can join and enjoy all this for three years while you concentrate on developing your business. After the three years, there is a leaving fee of $100, but you get to keep all the software and licenses that you downloaded during those three years.

Conclusion.

This is just so insane I have no more words. But just to ask, who is joining?

For more info:

Microsoft® Start-up Zone

BizSpark

Related Reading:

Microsoft Office 2010 to be free on the internet.

Using and Downloading Microsoft's Visual Studio Products for Free.

List of Free Open Source Software

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