Microsoft targets startups with $500 million in Azure-related resources
![mary-jo-foley](https://www.zdnet.com/a/img/resize/e044720b80efb53e29d54a7b9c817e3e57f3f2b6/2022/08/05/8215236b-63b7-491f-91ad-190439d0bf94/mary-jo-foley.jpg?auto=webp&fit=crop&frame=1&height=192&width=192)
Microsoft has been pushing hard to get independent software vendors to move to Azure. Now it's upping its focus on getting startups on its cloud.
![microsoftstartupscloud.jpg](https://www.zdnet.com/a/img/2018/02/14/a9f3db56-f1d8-481c-bea4-7e245514846d/microsoftstartupscloud.jpg)
Microsoft unveiled on February 14 a new program called "Microsoft for Startups." Via the program, Microsoft has pledged to provide $500 million to startups over the next two years in the form of credits, tools, co-selling resources and more.
Microsoft is offering startups co-selling resources to help get startups ready to sell to the enterprise in partnership with Microsoft; free cloud credits and technical support; development tools to help them build on Azure; and access to Microsoft Reactors, which are workspaces that Microsoft has in various cities.
Microsoft is offering these new incentives alongside its Microsoft Ventures venture-funding program and its Microsoft ScaleUp (formerly Microsoft Acclerators) program for late-stage and series-A startups.
More details about the new program are available on the dedicated Microsoft for Startups web site.