tremendous activity in its own backyard. Now it sounds like BizSpark is making progress at stirring up a pool of entrepreneurs who might be able to build more on Microsoft products. Reeves says BizSpark has enrolled around 250 startups in Washington, of which about 150 are active. These companies include DotNetNuke, SynapticMash, Jott Networks, Swype, and Gist (which announced a $6.75 million round of venture funding last week—more from this company in a minute).
So how well does BizSpark think it’s doing at engaging with startup communities and getting Microsoft’s technology out there? “We’ve made a change,” Reeves says. “It would be a gross claim to say we’ve really made a difference yet. We’ve got a ways to go, but we’ve made a good start.” He says his team is currently doing “a lot of tuning” and plans to update its portal this month. The biggest changes were made to make it easier for companies to enroll, and to keep better track of requests from startups.
Reeves also emphasizes that BizSpark is less about the software, and more about “software and the relationship.” He adds, “The interesting thing about this program is really the approach of working with the community. We’ve got a heck of a lot to learn, but it builds on work we’ve done before. It means working with governments, students, and educators—when we can give a boost, everybody wins. We’ve got a tremendous commitment to working with the community. It’s way more interesting than getting software to startups.”
So what can Microsoft do specifically to improve BizSpark, from a local startup’s perspective? T.A. McCann of Seattle-based Gist, who worked on Microsoft Exchange from 2001 to 2004 and was responsible for nurturing new business areas, has some recommendations. First, he says, BizSpark should provide what he calls “specific product alignment.” That means helping connect a startup to the key product owners within Microsoft who can give detailed feedback on the startup’s product and how it compares with Microsoft’s present and future offerings. “VCs or potential customers often ask, ‘Couldn’t Microsoft just do this?'” McCann says. “It’s good, for both the startup and Microsoft, to have a clear answer on the fit into the specific products evolution.”
Second, McCann says, Microsoft should provide access to a few potential customers. “The Exchange or Outlook team could look across their adopters and say, ‘T.A., you need to know these two customers. They’ve told us there’s pain in their company that Gist could solve.'” And then help the startup with a personal introduction. “It’s highly unlikely that I can get a meeting with the messaging guys at Exxon, GE, or Citigroup, for example, but a Microsoft field person could get that meeting,” McCann says. “Helping these early adopters to get the most of the Microsoft ecosystem—its product and partners— is a win for everyone.”
Reeves would agree with that. “In the long run, we want to knit all of this together into an ecosystem and value chain,” he says. “We should start thinking about long-term relationships with these companies. It’s super important to stay focused on startups. They represent tomorrow’s threats and opportunities. If we stop supporting these guys, it’s like stopping breathing.”
