Microsoft provides fasttrack for Hong Kong Startups with new data and AI offerings

Microsoft provides fasttrack for Hong Kong Startups with new data and AI offerings

Members of the Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub can now innovate with OpenAI Service

April 17, 2023, Hong Kong – Microsoft today announced that it is expanding its benefits for members of the Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub with new data and AI offerings, providing Hong Kong startups with cutting-edge technologies including free access to Microsoft partner OpenAI and fasttrack to Azure OpenAI Service to do more with less.

The Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub (“Founders Hub”) brings people, knowledge and benefits together to help founders at every stage solve startup challenges. It is a program designed to grow with startups by providing free access to technology, network and other resources from Microsoft and its startup ecosystems.

Hong Kong startup members of the program can now access:

  • Fasttrack to the most advanced AI models with enterprise-grade GPT capabilities through Azure OpenAI Service for matured startup, including GPT, ChatGPT and other large language models.
  • Free access and credits from Microsoft partners, including OpenAI, GitHub Enterprise, LinkedIn, and Stripe Payments
  • Hundreds of Microsoft technologies including Microsoft 365, Teams and Power Platform, and Microsoft Azure credits worth up to US$150,000
  • Mentorship guidance from business leaders and technology experts in Microsoft’s partner and startup ecosystems
  • Microsoft’s Go-to-Market and Co-sell programs for global expansion
Driving Positive and Sustainable Impact with Startups

Environment, social and governance (ESG) reporting is a priority for businesses across industries. They are looking for digital tools that empower them to record, consolidate report auditable emission data, and eventually reduce their carbon footprint.

Helping businesses to develop comprehensive and efficient tools has become part of the mission for many startup founders, as it is for Microsoft. As a part of Microsoft’s positive impact initiative, members of the Founders Hub program with a passion to contribute to sustainability are invited to join the Entrepreneurship for Positive Impact program. Currently, we have near one-third of Founders Hub members joined the program, aiming to support businesses on green economy.

Vibrant ecosystem in Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub

Since the launch in June 2022, 226 Hong Kong startups registered in for Founders Hub and support startups with ready-to-market products to expand their footprint internationally through Microsoft Global Partner Network platform.

“Microsoft strives to create a vibrant and diversified startup ecosystem in the city. We are proud to nurture and grow with over 200 startups under Founders Hub with the latest technologies and resources, to enhance Hong Kong’s status as an International Innovation and Technology hub,” said Kelvin Tse, Director of Global Partner Solutions, Microsoft Hong Kong. “Data and AI is clearly the next driver to help startup unleash their potential to transform the business world and society in this rapid-changing world. Members from Founders Hub are offered free access to OpenAI and fasttrack to enterprise-grade Azure OpenAI services to help them maximize their efficiency and accelerate their impact on the society. We will continue to build a responsible AI ecosystem and protect data privacy in line with our AI principles.”

Mr. Eric Or, Head of Partnerships, Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation, said: “We believe data and AI are the keys to success in this digital world as they provide rich insights and accelerate business growth. Our partnership with Microsoft will expand access to these cutting-edge technologies for start-ups, enable innovators to tap into the unlimited potential of greater intelligence and empower them to accelerate the digital transformation journey across industries. We will continue to join forces with leaders like Microsoft to create tangible value and foster a stronger innovation and technology (I&T) ecosystem.”

Dozens of successful startups have established comprehensive partnerships with Microsoft and engaged in Go-to-Market and Co-sell programs, including:

  • Know Your Customer (Pre-series A) –  RegTech company Know Your Customer provides Modular Compliance solutions to regulated firms across 11 verticals and 18 jurisdictions to build their ultimate anti-money laundering process for businesses of all sizes. With AI and its self-trained machine learning models, their solutions can automatically convert scanned paper documents from official company registries into structured data to be processed and interpreted by their system.
  • Asiabots (Series A) – Founded in 2017, Asiabots aims to provide centralized omni-channel AI solutions. Leveraging Microsoft Azure OpenAI, Asiabots developed a GPT-powered automated and personalized service that delivers an engaging user experience for corporates and public entities, reducing repetitive routine tasks to relieve staff pressure.
  • Diginex (Series B) – Founded in 2020, Diginex offers B2B SaaS solutions for sustainability & ESG reporting and supply chain due diligence. The solutions are now available in 35 countries for many industries and have been adopted by major commercial banks and one of the world’s largest ratings agencies have adopted their solutions to help better understand ESG and climate risks in their portfolios, meet external regulatory reporting requirements, and target customers with appropriate green finance products.

Startup founders at any funding stage can apply at startups.microsoft.com with their LinkedIn profile. No funding is required.

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About Microsoft

Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT” @microsoft) enables digital transformation for the era of an intelligent cloud and an intelligent edge. Its mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.

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