KUALA LUMPUR, (Bernama) - Microsoft Malaysia (“Microsoft”) was honored with a Contributors of the Venture Capital Industry award at the Malaysia Venture Capital and Private Equity Associations’s
(“MVCA”) Awards 2012 event, for its role in assisting local technology start-up companies accelerate their growth and transformation through its BizSpark program.
“For Microsoft, the award affirms our commitment to not only encourage innovation, creativity and nurture entrepreneurialism amongst today’s most promising start-ups but also provide them access
to software, tools and resources to become tomorrow’s most successful businesses,” said Peter Tam, Director of Local Software Innovations, Microsoft Malaysia.
Tam continued that the BizSpark program was designed to be a game-changer for technology enterpreneurs to succeed within a diverse global, interconnected business landscape.
“We’re helping local start-ups realize their potential and experience the opportunities made possible through technology. Through this program, start-ups and entrepreneurs have access to world
class tools, technologies and market resources to help bring new ideas, new companies and new software innovation to life,” he added.
Microsoft BizSpark is designed to accelerate the success of local Malaysian technopreneurs and early stage start-ups through software support, low up-front cost and a vibrant ecosystem that
delivers superior business advantage.
Through this program, start-ups will not only be given access to Microsoft’s current full-featured development tools, platform technologies, and production licenses but will also receive
professional support from Microsoft and the BizSpark Network Partners, which include local and international incubators, investors, advisors, and government agencies.
In addition, start-ups receive global visibility to an audience of potential investors, clients and partners through a dedicated website known as the BizSparkDB, which highlights promising
companies from around the world every day and through their relationship with Microsoft and the BizSpark Network Partners.
“Microsoft has always viewed local technology entrepreneurs and start-ups as a major factor that contributes to the overall transformation of the country into a developed, high-income nation by the
year 2020. In fact, according to World Economic Forum reports, the Government’s prioritization of ICT and the importance of ICT to the Governement’s vision of the future were ranked within the top
ten, at 10 and 9 respectively.
Thus, in our commitment to transform Malaysia together, Microsoft has dedicated its time, effort and resources into the BizSpark program as an investment into the country’s future,” added Tam.
Tam concluded that while Microsoft’s ongoing investments within the Bizspark program will continue in 2012, the company is earmarking an incremental RM1 miilion investment in cash and kind to
assist Malaysian start-ups with technical enablement and go to market initiavites.
Technology start-ups that have benefitted from BizSpark include DappleWorks, which provides small businesses with a unified tool and recource to manage their employee data, leave and resource
management, as well as timesheet supervision through Cloud Computing.
DappleWorks founder Reza Ismail said, “BizSpark helped us lay a strong foundation to succeed as a technology business. But Microsoft’s help did not just stop there, they went on to provide the
necessary financial grant as well as guidance to participate in DemoAsia 2012, where we pitched our product to peers and potential investors.
Since then, we have received enquiries from interested investors and within two weeks of launch, we have signed up 50 customers with about 100 trial users.
This has been extremely encouraging and, with the support from Bizspark, we will continuously develop more modules and features to help small companies manage their resources efficiently.”
Gnowledge Sdn. Bhd, another BizSpark beneficiary, provides a public internet portal for educators, students and parents to create, publish and share academic assignments either for consultation,
review or approval.
The system is built completely on Microsoft technologies provided through BizSpark such as .net, SQL Server and Azure allowing the program to scale “infinitely” through Cloud Computing.
“BizSpark has provided us with a solution by giving us access to free developmental resources such as Microsoft software and Azure services that otherwise we would have had to pay for.
Building Gnowledge with the help of BizSpark, we were able save on production cost and efficiently manage our time which was imperative for us to build the best product possible,” said Choong
Chong Yew, Chief Technology Officer, Gnowledge Sdn. Bhd.
The MVCA Awards are held every year to recognise organisations who have acquired significant achievements and milestones which have contributed positively towards the venture capital industry in
Malaysia.
Organised by the Malaysian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association, the Awards aims to inspire venture capital companies to expand and play an active role in the nation’s innovation drive
while being position their brands effectively with the ultimate goal of becoming a global brand.
Link to Mylaunchpad News