At Microsoft, we have tremendous respect for the talent, ingenuity, and passion of entrepreneurs. Where other people see merely interesting ideas, entrepreneurs see possibilities for making the world work better. Many talented people come up with game-changing ideas, but it takes an entrepreneurial spirit to stare down the words “it can’t be done” and make innovation real.

Bing Fund is an angel fund with an incubator program, founded by entrepreneurs, sponsored by Bing, and backed by the experience, expertise, and resources of Microsoft. We want to partner with like-minded entrepreneurs—great talent that is innovating online to solve big problems and create amazing new experiences.

Bing recognizes that startups play a vital role in technology innovation. We believe that combining the creativity and fresh insights of startups with Microsoft’s expertise and tremendous reach creates a unique formula for driving the industry forward.

If you have an inspiring vision and you want to go big, Bing Fund can help. We have great technology, as well as some of the world’s foremost experts in web and mobile experiences, engineering, and business development, to help entrepreneurs to grow their innovations and bring them to a wider audience.

We’re inviting promising startups based in the U.S. to work with us for at least four months. Instead of following a class format, we’ll evaluate and accept candidates on an ongoing basis. Here’s what we’re looking for:

• Startups that are building online or mobile experiences that incorporate fresh insights.
• We want startups with both inspirational vision and ability to execute
• A working prototype, preferably a site or application that is already live (i.e. people can sign up to use it) and gaining momentum
• A compelling plan that describes the problem being solved, a general idea of the market potential/competitive landscape, and unique market advantages

As a startup in Bing Fund, you will receive subsidized usage of unique APIs from Bing’s data ecosystem and the opportunity to access certain technology assets developed by Microsoft Research. Bing Fund team members who specialize in design, engineering, marketing, and building businesses will be on hand to support every step of the way, and if you have a particular technical or business challenge, we’ll connect you with the right Subject Matter Experts (SMEs). Additionally, we’ll help with funding, by offering a convertible note and making introductions to strategic investors. Your IP and product, of course, remain yours, even if we give input and assistance.

Participants in the Bing Fund who are local to the Seattle area will also be welcome to use our co-workspace in Bellevue, where they will have daily contact with the Bing Fund team, including seasoned entrepreneurs like Rahul Sood, the founder of VooDoo PC. You will also be able to interact with other hard working startups sharing the space.

If you think our technology and support would help you succeed, please contact us via our website and tell us a little about what you’re working on. We also welcome referrals from accelerator programs and angel investors.

Questions? Please see the FAQs.

– The Bing Fund Team