Recognizing Canadian Innovation – The Blue Sky Award

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clip_image002Last year we launched the first ever Blue Sky Award.  It’s targeted at highlighting Canadian software innovation – great up-and-coming software companies doing great work.  SiteMasher, our winner last year is a great example of one of those Canadian innovators.  I love it because we get a chance to meet and celebrate what Canadians are doing.  (It is also a great way to see how companies are using our technologies in new a creative ways!!)

Hopefully the attention generated by the Award helps those companies be seen on a broader scale and that the support we provides helps them to accelerate their business plans.

Interested?  Or know someone you should be - www.microsoft.com/canada/bluesky

What is the Blue Sky Award?

The Blue Sky Award represents an exceptional opportunity for you to showcase your great idea. If you think your application is the next big thing, and have the business plan to prove it, this is your chance to demonstrate your solution to a panel of Microsoft and other industry experts.

If you're using Microsoft technology to build your application we encourage you to apply for the Blue Sky Award and take advantage of this unique opportunity to drive your innovation forward.

The judging panel will consist of a team of Microsoft experts including Robert Dutt, Editor of CRN Canada.
Each submission will be judged based on the quality of responses around 3 key focus areas:

  1. How innovative is the idea
  2. How unique is the architecture and the use of Microsoft technologies
  3. How viable is the market opportunity

Software Development resources may include:

  • Access to our premier support staff
  • Software license and subscriptions
  • Access to new technologies, and/or
  • Access to Microsoft Technology Centers for software testing and architecture guidance

Business Development resources may include:

  • Presence on the Microsoft Startup Zone website
  • Inclusion in Microsoft collateral, advertising or public relations
  • A published case study
  • Blogging opportunities with Emerging Business Team Portfolio Managers
  • Event opportunities, and/or
  • Introductions to investors, as needed

Microsoft resources may include:

  • Introductions to internal product groups as appropriate
  • Visibility in front of key executives
  • Early stage product feedback to internal development teams, and/or
  • Active collaboration on emerging trends and technologies

 

Good luck to everyone who applies – I can’t wait to see what innovations this year’s batch of entries brings!