Microsoft Regions Battle for Top Honors

By Scott Case

I am excited to announce the fourth throwdown of the Startup America Partnership Master Challenge—Microsoft Regions Battle for Top Honors.

The Master Challenge is a recruitment push that we launched in the beginning of this year to help Startup America get 100,000 registered companies by March 31, 2012. Our goal is to help as many startups grow as we can, and our top masters are using their influence and reach to help us find these companies. Microsoft has stepped up to help us recruit by challenging themselves to an internal throwdown.

Microsoft, proud Sponsor and Partner of the Startup America Partnership, is taking on the challenge with Microsoft Startup evangelists and field teams involved with the BizSpark Program in the East, West, and Central regions. Going head-to-head on the leaderboard, these regions will compete to see who can recruit the most startups to join Startup America. Who do you think will come out on top?

Startup America has one main goal: help young companies grow to create jobs in America.

We are able to do this by providing a unique set of resources to registered Startup America firms across the country from our partners like America Express OPEN, Dell, and Intuit. All you need is a few minutes of your time, your company info, and the passion to grow your business. By spending a few minutes of your time we are helping you grow your business while YOU are helping create a better economy.

Our team is bringing together some of the country’s most successful organizations and entrepreneurs to develop a comprehensive set of products and services for YOUR success. We have built a membership platform like no other, based five key areas that every startup needs help with. Below is just a sample of what startups get with their membership:

1.     Expertise: Connecting entrepreneurs with training, mentors, advisors, and accelerators. Weekly pitch coaching sessions with Nathan Gold and round tables with top VCs like Brad Feld will answer your questions about your business.

2.     Services: Provide entrepreneurs access to critical services at reduced costs. All qualified Startup America software startups have access to the Microsoft Bizspark program.

3.     Talent: Assist entrepreneurs in recruiting and training the people that can help them grow. Registered firms can kickstart their company with two FREE months of LinkedIn’s Premium Business account or post job openings for free with Startup Hire.

4.     Customers: Help to scale startups through new and existing markets. Our partner, LeadMaster, can help jumpstart your business with Enterprise Level CRM.

5.     Capital: Highlight sources of capital available to entrepreneurs in various regions and sectors. Access the funding fee offer from IndieGoGo, the world’s largest open funding platform, to gain capital for your business.

So go HERE to Microsoft’s Challenge Page, choose your region and sign up your company to access these and many more partner offerings to help your business grow! Did I also mention that becoming a Startup America firm gives you the chance to win some sweet giveaways like a ticket to the Super Bowl and SXSW? Not to mention tons of great media exposure and PR opportunities. And t-shirts! Who doesn’t like a free t-shirt?

Yesterday,we celebrated our one-year anniversary. Watch our year in review video and learn even more reasons to join Startup America.

Be sure to follow Microsoft’s leaderboard to see what region can recruit the most startups by March 1, 2012.

Is West really best? Will East be the one to beat? Or perhaps the Central region guys will beat both coasts?