We know that Microsoft has several initiatives to empower people to build stuff that they are passionate about. A prominent example of this is Microsoft Garage through which employees can work on small-scale innovation projects that may not even be related to Microsoft in any way. Now, the Redmond tech giant has revealed the Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub, a platform that it is touting for entrepreneurs.
Founders Hub seems to be an extension of the Microsoft for Startups program that the company revealed in 2018. In 2020, the initiative also began offering access to GitHub Enterprise and the Power Platform.
With Founders Hub, Microsoft is sweetening the deal by providing access to personalized coaching as well as Microsoft 365 services like Teams for collaboration. The idea is to assist entrepreneurs in building their ideas on top of Microsoft technologies while providing them guidance on how to secure funding for it and sell it as well.
People who sign up will receive up to $350,000 in benefits, which includes up to $150,000 in Azure credits, 1:1 mentorship, guidance from technical experts, access to Microsoft Teams, GitHub, and other "trusted" development tools.
That said, it is important to note that Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub is in limited preview for now, and applications are being reviewed on a rolling basis. Those interested can sign up here.