May 26 was a great day for Phoenix participants in the BizSpark program!  Forty-two new entities signed up for the program as part of the AZ Groups “ScottGu day”. It was a treat for me as the local BizSpark champ to meet so many people and to have so many quality applicants come to my table.  Many thanks the Scott Cate for enabling me to volunteer and to have the table area for what turned out to be a veritable boatload of conversations. 

Although many startups were clear on the program, this is a good time for a brief review of what kind of organizations qualify for BizSpark:

1. Software-focused startup in business for 3 years or less.
2. Privately held.
3. Less than $1 million in revenue.

That’s about it… However, there seems to be some confusion, so let me clarify some organizations that may not qualify based on some actual conversations with potential organizations at the AZ Groups event:

• Non-Software companies that want “free software”. A gentleman that runs a clothing design organization thought that he could get software such as Vista and Office to run his business. This is not the purpose of the BizSpark program. If your primary business is not software development for resale or distribution to multiple clients, you do not qualify.
• Consultants looking to reduce their costs for acquiring Microsoft tools for development work for clients.  There are other programs for partners and related firms. Check out the Startup Zone and our Partner site for more details.
• Consultants that want to be the software development arm of a client company or be in essence, an outsourcer.  The focus of BizSpark is on the company developing the software. If a company wants to develop software for others that is again, the province of the partner program.

Also, there were other software-focused organizations that thought they did NOT qualify for BizSpark:

• Open Source developers – Open Source is cool!  Whether your primary business or a component of your offerings, that’s fine with us.
• Non-Microsoft developers – Non-Microsoft developers are cool! If you need to do anything in .NET as an adjunct to your core work on another platform, we would love to assist.

Another significant area for clarity is the involvement of the Network Partner (NP).  NP’s are an important element for startups that need to focus on the business aspects of their existence.  NP’s are selected for their involvement with the software development community and the ability to assist fledgling organizations with business services such as entrepreneurial training, legal advice, access to capital and the like.  This is an area I plan to spend more time on in the months ahead so look for more announcements soon.

Finally, to bring it home, this is what the BizSpark program offers:

• Software. Receive fast and easy access to current full-featured Microsoft development tools, platform technologies, and production licenses of server products for immediate use in developing and bringing to market innovative and interoperable solutions. There is no upfront cost to enroll.
• Support. Get connected to Network Partners around the world — incubators, investors, advisors, government agencies and hosters — that are equally involved and vested in software-fueled innovation and entrepreneurship who will provide a wide range of support resources.
• Visibility. Achieve global visibility to an audience of potential investors, clients and partners
  As a Microsoft BizSpark member, you’ll be tapping into a rich, vibrant ecosystem of peers, partners and support resources around the globe, helping you grow and succeed. Microsoft BizSpark is the quickest way to get your Startup fired up.

Please contact me for information or help with BizSpark!