Key Insights:
- Microsoft is launching a new Microsoft for Startups Pegasus Program that help connect businesses with the company’s top customers.
- The invite-only program will provide startups with opportunity generation, connect them to Microsoft’s market experts, and give them access to the company’s technology
- While in its pilot launch, the program has already helped over a hundred startups land deals that cost an average of $350,000
Microsoft just unveiled its new Microsoft for Startups Pegasus Program to help connect “growth-stage” startups with the company’s top customers.
The new program will serve as an extension of Mirosoft’s Founders Hub Platform to provide startups with additional support by driving “top-line revenue for those that have already achieved product-market fit in industries, including AI, health and life sciences, cybersecurity, and retail.”
“The program acts as a matchmaker, identifying enterprise customers with business challenges and connecting them with the right startup solutions,” Microsoft shared in a blog post.
The program offers several services to aid its startups. Starting with opportunity generation, the chosen startups will receive support from industry experts that will aid in sales and act as trusted advisors.
The companies will also get a chance to work with in-house market experts from Microsoft, giving them resources to generate and develop deals. Lastly, startups will get access to Microsoft’s technology, including Cloud Solution Architects (CSA), Azure AI’s offerings with up to $350,000 worth of technology credits that cover Azure, GitHub and LinkedIn.
“CSAs serve as a single point of contact for startups to ensure they are technically prepared to engage with enterprise customers, facilitate compliance and security checks, and advise on architecture,” the company explained.
While still in its pilot launch, the Pegasus Program for Startups has already helped more than a hundred companies get enterprise customers, with the deal size amounting to $350,000 on average.
For now, the Microsoft for Startups Pegasus Program will be invite-only, tapping on members of the Founders Hub community making use of Microsoft’s technology.
CEO of Commerce.AI. Andy Pandharikar shared his thoughts about taking part in Microsoft’s program. “Working with Microsoft for Startups helps us understand how enterprise customers look at and purchase new innovative products, and through this program we have been able to close nearly $1 million in deals,” he explained.
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