Reach for code and partnership – accelerated market entry through Microsoft technologies

Sitra’s PreSeed arranges an Access to Innovations Forum on Friday, September 22, 2006 in cooperation with Microsoft. This event offers a follow-up to the Forum arranged last January, in which the Microsoft IP Ventures program was launched in Finland. Several new technologies have been added to the program since, for small and medium-sized ICT-companies to utilize.

The program offers technical innovations developed in various Microsoft laboratories to Finnish ICT companies. This allows small, innovative enterprises to accelerate their market entry with technology building blocks from Microsoft IP’s added to their own innovations. Sitra’s PreSeed acts as a link to Microsoft. Through its central role in organizing first round funding to technology companies PreSeed also forms a significant junction of ICT companies and investors.

Director Risto Kalske at Sitra encourages all companies interested in the program to get acquainted with the offered technologies in advance.
“Even though these technologies would not include the one you are looking for, the solution may, nevertheless, be found through this program. On our request, Microsoft has promised to search their laboratories for the technological solution that your company needs.” Thus, being active will give you an edge.

The Access to Innovations Forum presents 10 technologies offered in the Microsoft IP Ventures program. The goal is to find solutions that would profit ICT companies in their own product development, and to discuss the possibilities for utilizing these technology IPR’s with Microsoft representatives. The participants can make an appointment with the Microsoft representatives on the Forum afternoon for one-to-one negotiations.

“This event offers small and medium-sized ICT-companies with an excellent opportunity to negotiate on partnership with Microsoft. Microsoft is very selective in distributing its IPR’s and wants to get to know the companies participating the Access to Innovations Forum in advance”, Kalske emphasizes. Microsoft representatives from Paris, France and Redmond, USA are prepared to proceed as far as possible with the negotiations already on the day of the Forum – even upto signing an agreement.

Interested? Please contact us by email (intro@sitra.fi) or phone +358 0 6189 9266. We will give you instructions on how to register and prepare for the Forum. Additional information on the program principles can be found on the Microsoft IP Ventures’ website »

Further information

Sitra
Risto Kalske
Director, PreSeed Finance
Phone +358 9 6189 9412

Microsoft Oy
Max Mickelsson
Government Affairs Manager
Phone +358 50 4317 018

Sitra’s PreSeed service in a nutshell

PreSeed service offers screened, investment-ready growth companies as investment targets, primarily for private investors, i.e. business angels. Typically these investments are syndicated by several investors. The investment capacity of investors committed to the INTRO network is around 50 million dollars at present. This financing often has a launching effect to a similar amount of external funding. This way we can already allocate over 100 million dollars to these companies.

PreSeed service uses LIKSA, INTRO and DIILI as tools:

• LIKSA is a joint form of preseed funding from Sitra and Tekes (National Technology Agency of Finland), for developing technology and competence oriented business ideas to investment ready business plans. www.liksa.info/eng »
• INTRO is a market place that brings investors, entrepreneurs and sales professionals together. www.sitra.fi/intro/eng »
• DIILI adds necessary personnel resources to the companies in the INTRO market place by bringing international sales professionals to the entrepreneur teams. www.sitra.fi/diili/eng »

Interested? Please contact us at www.preseed.fi/eng »