SparX - Solutions par eXcellence

Microsoft the big daddy of software industry has announced that it would offer free software to Internet and technology start-ups who are less than three years old, with an annual turnover of less than $ 1 million and are actively involved in software development. This is a huge boon for start-ups as this would drastically reduce their IT expenditure and propel their growth. This scheme labeled as BizSpark can be accessed by eligible start-ups and they would need to pay a nominal fee of $100 after three years.

In order to provide this scheme to start-ups that have the potential to grow quickly, Microsoft is using a network of organizations like venture capital associations, university incubators and economic development agencies to select the right firms for this scheme. Apart from providing the selected start-ups with free software, Microsoft would also provide them access to its technical support team and powerful public relations machine.

The introduction of BizSpark clearly indicates that Microsoft wants start-ups to defer from using open source software such as Linux. With BizSpark, Microsoft also plans to please the developer community, which has always complained that while open source software are freely available, Microsoft s products have always been expensive.

Microsoft believes that start-ups play a vital role in driving innovation and creating new jobs that are essential to sustain economic growth. BizSpark would make Microsoft more attractive to start-ups by helping them with the development tools, advice, and exposure they require. Until now most SMBs have spent exorbitant on license fees to use Microsoft's developer tools, servers and software, but with BizSpark this is all set to change.

For more information on Microsoft BizSpark, go to http://www.microsoft.com/bizspark/