Adedapo Adesanya
By Adedapo Adesanya
Microsoft Inc has launched its Global Science Entrepreneurship programme, targeted at startups to achieve more value using technology.
The programme, which was launched through the Microsoft for startups initiative, will partner with the startups to solve social, environmental and technological problems.
According to the Director, Microsoft 4Afrika, Ms Amrote Abdella, who spoke at a plenary session of the Sankalp Africa Summit 2020, held recently in Kenya, the initiative will help startups build and scale their businesses.
“Startups are creating new businesses, built around powerful technologies and designed to make the world a better place.
“Innovators and entrepreneurs are finding new ways to harness technology to drive purpose-led social enterprises that measure success not just by the profits they generate, but by the good they do.
“All of these are aimed at causing positive change in the society, improving human health and the environment, advancing social and economic equity, and should be supported.
“These are huge, complicated problems and far too large for any single organisation to hope to solve alone, hence the decision to support them,” Ms Abdella said.
The Global Social Entrepreneurship programme is expected to offer qualified startups access to technology, skills, customers and grants. The benefits are targeted to elevate those startups addressing an important social and/or environmental challenge through their products, services or operations.
Ms Abdella added that the initiative will help the startups build and scale their businesses to survive on the global landscape and achieve worldwide impact.
Social enterprises that become part of the Global Social Entrepreneurship programme will receive access to free Microsoft cloud technologies, including up to $120,000 in Azure credits, along with technical support and guidance.
According to Microsoft, a dedicated programme manager will help Global Social Entrepreneurship startups market and sell solutions and connect to large commercial organisations and non-governmental organisations – potential customers that they might not be able to reach on their own.
“Solving global social and environmental challenges requires synergy of the right technology, partners, conducive environment and technology. When startups work together with investors, enterprises, governments, non-profits and communities, we are able to unlock new potentials,” Ms Abdella added.
