PICTI, PITA & Microsoft Corporation Launch MS BizSpark Program

Microsoft Corporation in cooperation with the Palestine IT Association of Companies and Palestine Information and Communications Technology Incubator (PICTI) launched the BizSpark Program. The launching ceremony took place at Birzeit University and attended by numerous specialists and interested individuals as well as representatives of many institutions.

BizSpark aims to support early stage start-up IT companies by providing key resources: software, development tools, platform technologies and production licenses of server products. It also connects them to other incubators, investors, advisors who also provide various support resources as well as gaining global visibility to potential investors and clients.

Mr. Naseem Tuffaha, Regional Director, Developer and Platform Group - Middle East and Africa, presented Microsoft BizSpark Program and stressed on the importance of entrepreneurship & creativity to benefit from BizSpark for early stage start-ups.

Mr. Ihab Jabari, PITA Executive Director expressed gratitude to Microsoft for supporting the Palestinian ICT Sector, stressing on the importance of continuing such a partnership.

Eng. Hasan Omar, PICTI Manager thanked Birzeit University for hosting this event which strengthens the cooperation amongst PICTI & Birzeit University. Eng. Hasan also stressed on the significance of BizSpark program of what it has to offer for projects, early stage start-ups, incubated companies & spin offs and encouraged interested individuals to call PICTI for further information on how to join and benefit from this program.

About Microsoft BizSpark

Microsoft® has an exciting new program specifically designed to provide early stage Startups like yours with software, support, and visibility to help ignite your success. The program, called BizSpark™, provides access to:

Software:

- Design and Development and tools for your development team (including Expressions Studio, Visual Studio 2008 and VSTS Team Foundation Server)

- Production licenses to run your software-as-a-service business on the following server products: Windows Server, SQL Server, Office SharePoint Server, Systems Center, and BizTalk Server

Support:

- Professional support from Microsoft: 2 technical support incidents per Startup
- Access to MSDN Premium: managed newsgroups, forums, download, etc.
- Community Support from BizSpark Network Partners: guidance, resources, and mentoring to help your Startup grow

Visibility:

- Opportunity to achieve global visibility to an audience of potential investors, clients, and partners by profiling your company in the online Startup directory, BizSparkDB, on the Microsoft Startup Zone Website

- Opportunity to be highlighted on the BizSparkDB as a featured company and be promoted as BizSpark Company of the Week on the Microsoft Startup Zone Website

The program lasts 3 years. Enrollment is free.

Eligibility requirements are minimal: If you're a privately held company building a software-based product or service (even using open source code), in business for fewer than three years, and with less than USD$1M in annual revenue, you're in!

To join BizSpark, you must be sponsored by PICTI, a BizSpark Network Partner. You’ll find more program details here. When you’re ready to sign up, contact us about sponsorship and get your enrollment code.

Once you have your enrollment code, joining BizSpark is fast and easy. No payment or credit card information is required, and there are no upfront costs. (Microsoft will assess a USD$100 program offering fee at the end of participation in the program, or the end of three years, whichever comes first.)

Visit the Microsoft Startup Zone to learn more!

Ready to get your startup fired up? send an email to Hasan.Omar@picti.ps to get an authorization code.