Rinchi
TechInAfrica – During the Global Entrepreneurship Week, Microsoft announces the launch of a startup accelerator program called Head Start, aiming to support South African startups to develop their business. Moreover, the program also helps startup leaders to turn their ideas and feasible solutions into actions.
Through the program, startup owners will be given access to learning some skills, technology, market, customers, channels, and finally, help them to set out their ideas. At the end of the program, startups will receive certifications and expectedly to have global recognition.
The program will provide resources and mentorship through skills development in some main subjects, such as AI, app development, business development, cloud platforms, DevOps, legal support, and security. The subjects are included in three key categories, including technology, business, and legal.
Through the program, Microsoft gives South African startups an access to the right resources in order to help them develop their business, and an opportunity to be a partner network of Microsoft.
According to the Commercial Partners Lead of Microsoft South Africa, Lionel Moyal, the program facilitates startups with tools, insights, right resources, and programs that they need to grow their business.
“By connecting tech startups with a worldwide network of customers, cloud architects, business development experts, and the latest cloud technologies. Microsoft wants to nurture and evolve these startups into fully-fledged Microsoft partners themselves,” Moyal says.
The main purpose of the program is not only to look for Microsoft Partners but also to boost the startup ecosystem in South Africa, creating a more diverse and dynamic environment than it is. Moreover, it also expects to fill the skills gap within the region.
