Local Startups Encouraged to Take Advantage of Microsoft BizSpark Program

As of April 1st, four local startups have signed up for Microsoft’s recently launched BizSpark program. BizSpark is a global program designed to accelerate the success of early stage companies by providing them with access to software, technical support and connections to a worldwide network of potential investors, clients and partners – all at no upfront costs. 
Companies qualifying for the program must be less than three years old and have no more than $1 million in annual revenues. The purpose of the program is to allow such early stage ventures access to the tools and support needed to help them develop into sustainable, high-growth companies. 
BizSpark provides startups with access to current full-featured Microsoft development tools, platform technologies and production licenses of server products for immediate use at no upfront cost. Key software available includes Microsoft Visual Studio Team System Suite (VSTS) Expression Studio, all versions of Microsoft SQL servers, Windows server and BizTalk server. 
“The software available through this program is essential to anyone trying to build, preview, test and launch an application for commercialization,” says Kevin Gadd, director of IT commercialization for TechColumbus, a registered BizSpark network partner. 
"BizSpark has proven very valuable to us in many ways,” says Patrick Murphy, president of Dublin-based Brand Thunder, one of the Central Ohio startups enrolled in BizSpark. 
“We’ve used Visual Studio, as well as SQL server, in the development of a soon-to-launch product,” says Murphy. “Interestingly, it helped quiet the debate between team members about open source versus other products,” he says.   “It quickly became apparent that nothing is better at developing for IE than Visual Studio and without BizSpark, that could have cost us valuable time and money in bringing our new product to market.”
In addition to software, companies also get access to the Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN), a set of online services designed to help developers write applications using Microsoft products and technologies.   Web and applications developers have access to training materials, the MSDN library, newsletters, developer conferences, trade media and much more. 
This also includes direct technical support for two incidents per company. And this is not limited to two phone calls, Microsoft customer support will work with an enrolled company until their issue is completely fixed no matter how many calls it takes.
“I remember using such support at my last business,” says Gadd. “Each call cost somewhere around $250.” “I’m not sure what they charge now, but this one benefit alone translates into a real cost-related value for BizSpark member companies.”