Microsoft & RocketSpace: Feeding the Startup Ecosystem

Since launching Bing in 2009, we’ve had to overcome many of the classic challenges facing startups. As a service trying to disrupt a mature space – we appreciate the need to stay nimble, tenacious and creative. As a result, we have an affinity for startups and the innovations, relentless energy and tremendous support coming out of that community.

To that end, we recently created the Bing Booster program as a way for us to give back. The offering is a pilot program in partnership with Microsoft BizSpark available in select US tech hubs – New York City, Boston, San Francisco/Bay Area – designed to help accelerate the success of startups by offering at no cost, tools and resources, technical guidance and market visibility.

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We know the startup scene is changing – capital requirements are lower, entrepreneurs abound, and open APIs and services can reduce development times. The days of heavy infrastructure requirements and massive overhead to create world-changing tech are behind us. Microsoft’s goal is to identify what resources are most helpful to this new batch of innovators and provide them through the BizSpark program. And to keep you apprised of what works, what doesn’t, and the overall scene in this new space, we created the Bing Booster blog where startups can access information, find out about industry events and explore what’s going on in some of the biggest tech hubs in the US.

After meeting with startups across the country, we noticed a common trend: the rise of co-work spaces where likeminded entrepreneurs come together to bring their ideas to life. We were inspired by incubators and accelerators like RocketSpace, which focuses on post incubator, seed-funded companies. Founder Duncan Logan built RocketSpace around the idea of providing startups with a higher level of support, not just a space to rent, but also education, resources and access to larger companies like Microsoft through Bing and BizSpark.

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It’s no coincidence that the Bing Booster program was designed to tap an extensive network of resources to provide all of the above, so we’re happy to announce that Microsoft is one of the first companies to join The RocketSpace Corporate Ambassador Program through the BizSpark program and Bing Booster offering.

As part of The RocketSpace Corporate Ambassador Program, Bing Booster hosted a kick-off event in September featuring good ol’ grilled cheese dinner fare, productivity-boosting beverages and a kit of office essentials. Since then, Bing launched PR Office Hours hosted by SHIFT Communications and conducted an SEO session by Bing’s Webmaster Tools guru – the first wave of many free resource offerings that Bing is providing the RocketSpace startups. In turn, we hope these resources will help propel the best innovations forward.

We’re stoked to be working with RocketSpace and look forward to helping these startups grow with the right “nutrition.” Stay tuned for more updates around our work with RocketSpace and other innovation hotspots! Be sure to check out http://bingbooster.com to see our chronicle through the startup trenches.

Aya Zook, Bing

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