Application Deadline: 11:59 P.M. Pacific Time, January 15, 2016.
Brilliant people like you are deploying technology and business models to help billions of people affordably engage online, and Microsoft want to help. Under the Microsoft Affordable Access Initiative, Microsoft is providing grants to commercial entities for scalable solutions that enable people in underserved communities to access the Internet and use cloud services. Your solution could be the one that connects the world.
The Challenge:
- Develop low-cost connectivity solutions, cloud-based services, and business models that bring the Internet to underserved markets.
- The Microsoft Affordable Access Initiative seeks to nurture, grow, and scale innovative businesses like yours. We’ll work with you to expand your online access and cloud services solution.
- Companies selected for this program will receive grants averaging $75,000 to help you serve more customers.
Solution must:
- Leverage low-cost forms of Internet connectivity
- Demonstrate innovative approaches to selling cloud services geared for underserved markets
- Integrate localized payment platforms and consumption models designed for customers in relevant markets
Applicants must:
- Be a commercial organization with two or more full-time employees (we will not accept applications from non-profits, government agencies, or academic institutions)
- Have a working solution
- Prove potential to scale to new markets and leverage partner distribution models
- Provide valid copies of licenses and authorizations
- Present a business plan free of legal and regulatory impediments
For More Information:
Visit the Official Webpage of the Microsoft Affordable Access Initiative