Microsoft Azure is the trusted cloud among Thai technology startups for its flexibility and scalability that enable startups to move faster, achieve better cost-efficiency
BANGKOK, 29 September 2015 — Microsoft (Thailand) Limited today encouraged local technology startups in Thailand to utilize cloud computing in order to move faster to market and be able to compete on a global level.
On average there are 24 million active users in Thailand accessing mobile applications each day, and revenue generated through mobile content reached US$600 million in 2014[1]. As Thailand moves towards the Digital Economy and with the integration of the ASEAN Economic Community close approaching, technology startups will face stiffer competition in terms of offering and innovation, but also have more opportunities to tap into on a regional scale.
Microsoft Azure is the preferred cloud service for startups and Microsoft is currently the only vendor to be positioned as a Leader in Gartner’s Magic Quadrants for Cloud Infrastructure as a Service, Application Platform as a Service, and Cloud Storage Services for the second consecutive year. Globally, Microsoft Azure continues to grow with more than 90,000 new Azure customer subscriptions every month and currently over 57% of Fortune 500 companies are using Microsoft Azure.
To date, Microsoft has 19 unique Azure regions which are clusters of data centers enabling startups, mobile content developers and enterprises to deploy and run applications closer to their customers and employees, and compete in more geographic markets. Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform now manages more than 1 million servers, allowing users to build and run applications without worrying about their cloud platform’s capacity and enables them to scale their solutions to any size.
With Microsoft Azure, promising local technology startups such as Anywhere 2 Go who are planning to expand their businesses internationally will be able to look at technology as transformative for their businesses and innovation as it becomes increasingly critical for competitive advantage.
“Technology is a powerful tool of equalizer and cloud computing levels the playing field for small businesses and startups, enabling them to compete with larger businesses, scale solutions to any size, target more geographies, and accelerate the growth of the Thai economy. Microsoft’s goal is simple – we aim to elevate the competitiveness of local startups, help them accelerate innovation and get their offerings in the hands of customers as quickly as possible,” said Ekaraj Kongswangwongsa, Software Industry Development Manager, Microsoft Thailand.
Ekaraj added, “Through Microsoft Azure, we offer an open and flexible platform that supports the broadest selection of operating systems, programming languages, tools and devices – the technologies millions of developers are already familiar with. And with Microsoft Azure, we have an industry-leading commitment to the protection and privacy of our users’ data. We were the first cloud provider recognized by the European Union’s data protection authorities and also the first major cloud provider to adopt the new international cloud privacy standard, ISO 27018.”
Kittinan Anuphan, CEO and Founder, Anywhere 2 Go, said, “Thai mobile content and application developers play a crucial role in making Thailand a vibrant market for mobile content. Speed of deployment is critical if we want to compete with international content developers. Our applications need to be able to support multiple platforms and automatically scale globally as our business and audience grow.”
“With Microsoft Azure, Anywhere 2 Go is able to scale efficiently to meet growing market demands, evolve in a fast-moving landscape and be able to explore international market opportunities such as Malaysia, Hong Kong, Japan and Korea. We were one of the first customers of Microsoft Azure and one of the key benefits of Microsoft’s cloud computing platform is cost-efficiency, which is a crucial factor for startups such as ourselves. Microsoft Azure is very easy to use, comes with maintenance support from Microsoft that allows us to focus more on content development. Our partnership with Microsoft also extends to engaging interns at the Microsoft Innovation Center who helped develop applications for the Windows platform,” continued Kittinan.
In addition to Microsoft Azure and its cloud computing services, Microsoft Thailand is supporting the growth of local startups with the upgraded Microsoft BizSpark Plus program. Under the upgraded program, Microsoft will now offer $120,000 per year of free Azure cloud services to qualified startups. The new offer expands Microsoft’s existing BizSpark Plus program which, in addition to open source-friendly Azure, provides free software, developer tools, and technical support to help startups be successful.
Globally Microsoft is partnering with more than 150 startup accelerators in 47 countries to make the Azure cloud services available. In Thailand, Microsoft is partnering with AIS The Startup and Software Park Thailand to provide the Microsoft BizSpark Plus offering to qualified startups locally.
Interested users can sign up for a free one-month trial of Microsoft Azure and get $200 to spend on all Azure services here: http://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/pricing/free-trial/. Startups in Thailand that are interested to find out more about the Microsoft BizSpark Plus program can contact Ekaraj Kongswangwongsa, Software Industry Development Manager, Microsoft Thailand at [email protected].
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services, devices and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.
Established in 1993, Microsoft (Thailand) Limited aims to Make 70 Million Lives Better by enabling Thai people and businesses to realize their full potential through technology that transforms the way people work, play, and communicate. We offer software, services, and devices that deliver new opportunities, greater convenience, and enhanced value to people’s lives. Working with communities and the Thai government, Microsoft and its partners are committed to working closely with organizations and people across Thailand to fully harness the power of technology and innovation.
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For more information, press only:
Pornravee Suramool or Cheryl Yab
Hill+Knowlton Strategies Thailand
Tel: 0-2627-3501 ext. 110, 206 or 081-735-9213, 098-272-4077
E-mail: [email protected], [email protected]