Microsoft collaborating with MaRS to help startups in Toronto

Microsoft is collaborating with MaRS Discovery District to help the local startup community.

According to MaRS, Microsoft will host a series of events with the “goal of raising the profile of Canadian entrepreneurs while driving engagement with corporate teams able to offer expertise to help companies grow.”

Yung Wu, CEO of MaRS, said the partnership will help increase Canada’s startup competitiveness.

“The Canadian startup ecosystem is going through tremendous growth, and our talent and inventiveness is attracting attention around the world,” said Wu.

Microsoft calls MaRS “the ideal partner.”

“By fostering a unique community of startups in Toronto, MaRS has created a model that is now replicated around the world,” said Adam Nanjee, Managing Director of Startups, Microsoft Canada. “MaRS is the ideal partner that will allow Microsoft to meet its objective of empowering entrepreneurs and building integrated communities.”

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The collaboration will see MaRS curating and hosting events that include quarterly tech showcases profiling six to eight Canadian startups; regular events featuring leading experts in key sectors and industries in Canada; and “MaRS Mornings,” a popular early morning lecture and fireside chat series.

As well, MaRS announced that qualified firms will also benefit from the Microsoft for Startups program which provides “Canadian entrepreneurs up to $120,000 in Microsoft Azure cloud credits combined with enterprise-grade technical support and dedicated resources, provided by Microsoft’s global sales team and partners, to help the marketing and sales teams of startups effectively sell their cloud solutions.”

In addition to events, Microsoft will have a footprint within the MaRS campus to animate its Microsoft Reactor, a dedicated space bringing together founders, developers and business leaders for high quality technical, business, and community events.

MaRS is North America’s largest urban innovation hub, and it is located in Toronto.