Microsoft Brings Startup Resources to ATV Villagers

microsoft ATV partner

Microsoft has doubled down on its commitment to bolstering Atlanta’s startup scene by announcing an official collaboration with Atlanta Tech Village (ATV), the fourth-largest startup technology hub in the U.S. The partnership, run through the Microsoft for Startups program, will provide exclusive access to Microsoft resources and opportunities for ATV members.

“Most of the major players are here, including Microsoft, and it’s great to see global tech leaders taking an interest in and recognizing the caliber of talent that Atlanta Tech Village houses,” says ATV founder David Cummings. “The support and presence of partners like the Microsoft for Startups program help us to elevate our amazing entrepreneurs even further, aiding and enabling them to focus on what’s most important – which is building successful and sustaining businesses.”

ATV already counts many global and local corporations and organizations as partners, including Coca-Cola, Honeywell, the Atlanta Braves and more. Microsoft will now join this roster.

“Atlanta Tech Village is an anchor in the Atlanta technology community and essential to the startup ecosystem by giving a place for startups to grow, connect and work with their peers,” says Microsoft Technical Evangelist Tobias Wright. “We want to be a resource for the community, through technical engagements and startup programs, so they can focus on growing their businesses.”

ATV members, knows as Villagers, will receive exclusive offers to Microsoft services such as free Microsoft Azure cloud, technical engagement, business development, and go-to-market resources. Microsoft will also use ATV space for public events and workshops aimed at helping local startups succeed.

“Microsoft is actively working to bridge the gap between their product/brand perceptions and startups, and we are proud they have chosen to focus on building those new relationships in Atlanta,” says ATV’s director Karen Houghton.

“This partnership is bringing more specialized technical events to the Village, further supporting diversity in the tech community, opening doors for user discussions with Microsoft VPs, and providing opportunities for our startups to receive tremendous Azure credits through the Bizspark program. The Village chooses partnerships thoughtfully and intentionally, and the Atlanta Microsoft team provides tremendous value to our community.”

This is Microsoft’s second program at an Atlanta startup hub. In 2015 the company opened an Innovation Center — it’s second in the country — in downtown’s FlatironCity building to help startups build products, develop software and use Microsoft technologies to grow their business. The city of Atlanta is part of Microsoft’s CityNext initiative, which helps cities engage citizens, empower city employees, optimize operations and infrastructure, and accelerate innovation.

“As a company, it is our goal to lead innovation by offering world-class talent, which is why we don’t hesitate in educating local communities and investing resources to accelerate startup and developer communities’ growth across the globe,“ says Rokeya Jones, director of Technical Evangelism at Microsoft.