Microsoft Innovation Centers ( MICs ) are state of art technology facilities for collaboration on innovative research, technology or software solutions, involving a combination of government, academic and industry participants.

About Microsoft Innovation Center

As knowledge and innovation become the primary catalysts for economic growth, the Microsoft Innovation Centers can play a vital role in generating powerful new ideas through training, education and knowledge transfer Innovation and collaboration have long been hallmarks of the commercial software ecosystem, a $1 trillion marketplace that is a driving force in local software industries and the global knowledge economy. Microsoft has supported these thriving ecosystems through ongoing investments in a robust and affordable computing platform built around interoperability, partnerships and enhancing local capabilities.
On a global level and in communities worldwide, a network of 625,000 software, hardware and computer services firms create jobs, generate tax revenue, and spawn new innovations that stimulate economic growth throughout the economy. To further fuel innovation and the development of strong, self-sustaining local software industries, Microsoft is partnering with local governments, academic institutions, industry organizations and software and hardware vendors to expand its network of Microsoft Innovation Centers (MIC). Today these centers serve over 80 communities worldwide.
Microsoft and partners in each community work together to operate the MICs, which are open to students, professional software developers, IT professionals, entrepreneurs and academic researchers. While each Center tunes its programs to local needs, they all provide similar content and services designed to accelerate technology advances and stimulate local software economies through skills and professional training, industry partnerships and innovation. Primary areas of focus include:

Skills and Intellectual Capital: The Skills Accelerator focuses on intellectual capital and people enablement with software, business management and marketing courses, software development courses, and employment programs for students.

Industry Partnerships: The Partnership Accelerator focuses on enabling successful partnerships by connecting people and organizations in the innovation ecosystem. The MICs do this by offering programs on partnering with Microsoft, and by cultivating local and regional industry alliances that support the growth of software ‘industry clusters’ and software quality assurance programs.
Solutions and Innovation: The Innovation Accelerator focuses on enhancing local capacity for innovation through hands on engagements. This includes labs for ISVs, startups, partners, students, and entrepreneurs.

Particularly in developing regions, commercial software can be a sparkplug for long-term economic growth. In India, for example, the software industry contributed less than 1 percent of India’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2002, yet accounted for more than 10 percent of growth in total GDP. India’s software industry accounts for 8 percent of GDP and 30 percent of foreign exchange earnings. The UN’s Millennium Development Goals recognized the importance of the private sector in helping create sustainable and competitive local and national economies, and the Microsoft Innovation Centers are one important way Microsoft is participating in this effort. The results so far underscore the tremendous potential of the MICs:

What is MIC

Technology centers offering a comprehensive set of programs and services to foster innovation and grow sustainable local software economies.

Why MIC

To connect people and organizations in the software ecosystem and give them access to resources, experts and facilities for collaboration and skills development.

Who is MIC

Students, entrepreneurs, academics, professional software developers, startups, IT professionals, industry organizations and local governments.

Microsoft Innovation Center Activities

Technology centers are offering a comprehensive set of programs and services to foster innovation and grow sustainable local software economies.

Microsoft and partners in each community work together to operate the MICs, which are open to students, professional software developers, IT professionals, entrepreneurs and academic researchers. While each Center tunes its programs to local needs, they all provide similar content and services designed to accelerate technology advances and stimulate local software economies through skills and professional training, industry partnerships and innovation. Primary areas of focus include:

Skills and Workforce Development:

The Skills development programs focuses on intellectual capital and people enablement with technical and business courses for local ICT companies and structured employment programs for students.

Business and Industry Partnerships:

The Partnership Accelerator focuses on enabling successful partnerships by connecting people and organizations in the innovation ecosystem. The MICs do this by offering programs on partnering with Microsoft, and by cultivating local and regional industry alliances that support the growth of software ‘industry clusters’ and software quality assurance programs.

Solutions and Innovation:

The Innovation Accelerator focuses on enhancing local capacity for innovation through hands on engagements. This includes labs, prototype development, testing for ISVs, startups, partners, students, and entrepreneurs.

ACTIVITY	DESCRIPTION
	A BizSpark Network Partner is an entity that represents and influences local ICT companies by offering services and representing these companies in the local ecosystem. As BizSpark Network Partners, MICs can recommend startups for registration into the BizSpark program and also delivery activities and benefits. More information atwww.microsoft.com/bizspark
	Business Skills Development - Training activities for startups and ISVs covering different business skills required to better manage their companies and also plan for growth. The training topics are delivered by local industry experts, covering business planning, operations management, HR, sales and marketing.
	Imagine Cup is a worldwide software contest organized by Microsoft for students, also known as IC. The contest is executed in 2 phases: regional competition in each country and a Worldwide Finals competition executed with all regional winners from different categories.At MICs, students and IC competitors have access to coach and mentorship, training and prototype development. More Information at imaginecup.com
	Industry cluster is an activity where different software companies form a group of common interests that will develop a series of activities designed for addressing business or technical gaps, as well as, develop new skills to drive their market competitiveness. Most common clusters are formed around workforce development, technical training, software quality or international market access. In a cluster scenario, MICs act as a service executor, providing key activities and also neutral facilities for engaging different companies.
	MIC Technical Trainee Program - An internship program organized by MICs worldwide were students participate in training activities and project execution. During the internship, students develop their technical skills, learn different job roles, get certification and experience real projects from the local ecosystem. Program's duration varies between 4 months up to 12 months.
	Product Testing - MIC offers technical and business testing of software products targeting platform compatibility and capacity. Tests are executed in conjunction with your local teams.
	Prototype Development - MICs offer a fast way to develop new product/solution concepts, architecture models or new technologies by executing a proof of concept with your company. The final goal is to create a prototype that can apply the technologies/architecture scenarios while addressing a technical challenge from your product, providing knowledge transfer for your team. Prototype development duration varies per technology or technical challenge; going from 5 days up to 3 weeks; and it is a fast and effective way to observe new technology on your projects.
	Startup Incubation - MICs worldwide offer different programs to develop your idea into a startup companies by incubating your project and team from periods varying from 6 months up to 3 years, depending on country and location. As benefits, incubated companies have access to BizSpark and other services provided by the MIC.
	S2B is a job recruitment program executed by MICs in cooperation with local universities. The MIC provides candidates selection, training, testing and certification at different stages of the process. At the end of the program, candidates are matched with local companies for job interviews. More information at microsoft.com/s2b
	The Microsoft IT Academy Program is designed for accredited academic institutions worldwide. The program provides educators with the tools they need to effectively train students on Microsoft technologies, prepare students for the global economy, and create a skilled community. Students enrolled in a Microsoft IT Academy will train based on official Microsoft technology curriculum and will be prepared for Microsoft certification. More information at Microsoft IT Academy
	Technical training is a key activity executed by all MICs worldwide. The sessions offered by the MICs usually cover newer technologies in short duration sessions in a hands-on experience.
	Virtual startup incubation is a group of services and activities offered to incubator institutions through the MIC Network. Activities include technical and business training, prototype development, product testing, coach and mentoring.
	Executive Academy A program designed for executives from the local partner ecosystem (ISVs, SIs, VARs) to discuss technology trends, business models and get trained on specific Microsoft technologies scenarios to support business decision making.
	ITPro Deployment Workshops are the technical training sessions designed for IT Professionals targeting specific infrastructure technologies scenarios, covering the deployment techniques and tricks. Different from a standard training, this activity have a mix of demonstrating different deployment scenarios, testing and training.
	Partner Showcase is a program for local partners (ISVs, System Integrators, Startups) to use the MIC facilities to demo and showcase their solutions for customers. The partner can mix presentations or hands-on demonstrations using the MIC training labs or auditorium and conference rooms.
	Developer Camps are activities designed to engage startups and small ISVs and support them in adoption of new technologies or new business models for their products.
	Technology Competence Center is a group of depth technical activities for partners and end customers where the MIC demonstrates complete scenarios of Microsoft technologies. The Competence Centers can be horizontal (Cloud technologies, business intelligence, unified communications, etc) or vertical by industry (healthcare, education, government, oil & gas, etc). The key differentiator of the competence center is the complete scope of the chosen scenario, covering not only basic demo but also deep technical training.