11/19/2008 16h51
Microsoft launches development program for innovation in the country
Valor Econômico 11/19/2008
Microsoft announced yesterday a program of incentive to the Brazilian software companies. The company identified nearly eight thousand small companies of technological basis capable of receiving incentives evaluated at R$ 2.5 million (US$ 1.14 million). Called Microsoft SOL, the program will give free licensing of more than 25 Microsoft programs for three years, in addition to technical support and on-line training. With the initiative, the idea is to reduce the premature mortality rate of micro- and small-sized companies. According to Sebrae, the support service to companies of that size, 22% of the enterprises disappear before two years of existence. To register, the company needs to have less than three years of work and annual revenues of up to R$ 1.2 million (545 thousand), besides developing software-based products. Another requirement is that they are approved in the evaluation of Microsoft's partners, such as the National Association of Innovative Undertaking Promoting Entities (Anprotec) and the Society for the Promotion of the Excellency of the Brazilian Software (Soflex), which will examine the presented idea and see what the needs of the company are. "The obtainment of the advantages does not have any initial cost. Only at the end of the process will the participants have to pay the symbolic amount of US$ 100", said Carlos Ferreira, Microsoft's director of innovation and new technologies. The projection is that around 500 companies should register in the process until July of 2009, mainly companies connected to business incubators. From those, 320 companies will be selected to participate in trainings and consulting with Microsoft's experts in 14 cities of the country. In the third stage of the process, there will be the selection of 16 micro- and small-sized companies to an exposition to prospect national investors. Finally, the three selected companies will present their works at Microsoft's headquarters, in Redmond, in the State of Washington.
