BANGALORE, INDIA: In an apparent bid to take on the open source platforms, software giant Microsoft India today unveiled Microsoft BizSpark in the country.

This is a global program designed to accelerate the success of IT entrepreneurs through software support and a vibrant ecosystem in the country, said a press release.

BizSpark platform will be given free of cost to the Indian startups for the first three years of these companies, which Microsoft said is a valuable period in the lifecycle of any startups.

Microsoft BizSpark is structured to help startups take advantage of the resources and support of a global network of hundreds of organizations: economic development agencies, university incubators, hosters and investors, said a press release.

In India, the network partners include The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE), NEN, Proto, NASSCOM; as well as venture capitalists IDG, who will facilitate access to technology and provide guidance, mentorship and resources.

In addition, VCs Draper Fisher Jurvetson (DFJ), Helion Venture Partners, Accel Partners, and others, support the initiative.

This is the first time that an entire ecosystem of stakeholders is coming together with Microsoft to enable a vibrant startup ecosystem in India, the release said.

BizSpark is part of the Microsoft Startup Accelerator Program that the company runs in India for software entrepreneurs to transform their ideas into reality through insights, software, tools, and opportunity mapping, it added.

Microsoft BizSpark is available to all startups who are actively engaged in the development of software-based product or service that is a core piece of their business model. They need to have been in business for less than three years and should be privately held; and have less than USD1 million per capita revenue.

Commenting on the rationale behind BizSpark, Moorthy Uppaluri, general manager – DPE, Microsoft India, said, "We do believe India is at that inflection point and if it has to move up the value chain in the global knowledge economy, then the entire ecosystem has to innovate: Innovating for India is the critical need of the hour."

Sheila Gulati, general manager, Microsoft Corporation Pvt Ltd, added, "The fact that the suite of software comes at no cost to the startup takes care of the cost-barrier; while working with partners like TiE, NEN, Proto, NASSCOM, IDG… will facilitate access to advice and exposure that is so vital for startups."

Suren G. Dutia, CEO, TiE Global, said that BizSpark helps remove many of the barriers of entry to the software development tools and technologies and market resources that are critical components of launching a viable business.

The program, which was recently launched globally, has already signed on about 70 Indian startups.