SIIC-IIT Kanpur, Microsoft launch Azure society of excellence to make startups 'future-ready'

NEW DELHI: Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur partners with Microsoft to enable 'future-ready' startups. IIT-K's technology business incubator Startup Incubation and Innovation Centre (SIIC) and Microsoft collaborate to launch the Azure society of excellence.

In addition to this, SIIC-IIT Kanpur and Microsoft signed an agreement to launch a joint programme that aims to provide mentorship, employment, and entrepreneurial opportunities to startups. The programme will also the participants to have access to the 'Founder's Hub', a talent-employability programme for startups in the SIIC-IITK incubation system.

This collaboration will be benefitting such startups with an access to Microsoft software and services, access to GitHub, M365 resources, training, and skilling on Azure, mentors network, which includes exclusive access to Microsoft leadership and expert guidance from Microsoft Valuable Professionals (MVP), Azure Influencers, and startup founders.

Also Read | CBSE, Microsoft to offer ‘Industry Engagement and Technology Exposure Programme’ for students

The Microsoft mentor network will be supporting and providing feedback and advice topics from product roadmap to business plans and facetime with high-value VCs. Under the Microsoft-IITK programme, the startups will also get access to flexible, scalable resources like API Integration with GitHub, visits to the Microsoft Tech Center in Bengaluru for demonstration of tech value and scheduled in-person or online sessions. Furthermore, they can avail access to Microsoft ISV – Independent Software Vendors, and opportunities to work with Microsoft, and list on the Microsoft Marketplace.

Both parties will work together to select and onboard startups for the Founder’s Hub. The shortlisted startups can build prototypes using Azure credits with potential opportunities to work with Microsoft Technology Center (MTC) and the Microsoft leadership team.

Microsoft India, Azure, country head, Himani Agrawal, said: “We are delighted to collaborate with SIIC, IITK which will further enhance our respective startup acceleration efforts to provide an environment with the right support and structures and enable innovators to scale faster. With the Azure Society of Excellence, startups will be able to build innovative cloud-native apps and solutions to drive economic growth, which is inclusive, trusted, and sustainable.”

Also Read | IIT Kanpur, Rice University sign agreement for academic, research collaborations

Commenting on the collaboration between SIIC and Microsoft, IIT Kanpur, Innovation and Incubation, professor-in-charge, Ankush Sharma, commented, “This collaboration between IIT Kanpur and Microsoft will help startups at SIIC reach new heights. Microsoft offers an excellent software pool, structure and expert support which, as and when blended with the innovations of our innovators, will make a remarkable difference in the society plus the startup ecosystem.”