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Europe’s growth and renewal depends on its youth taking risks for innovation and entrepreneurship

The mis-predicted Mayan apocalypse behind us, 2013 has brought renewed hope to Europe. There is a sense that the worst is behind us, a near-death... More

Ideas from the Nordic Lighthouse

Europe’s Nordic region has already gained its notoriety as a cluster for innovation, talent, skills as well as for creating... More

Ireland’s EU Presidency – Realising the Digital Agenda

Ireland has sometimes been seen in Europe as a land of writers and imagination. Irish writers such as Flann O’Brien have been known to use... More

GameIn - the new approach to games

Most students graduate facing the challenge of getting a job, but for Chai Botta, the CEO of GameIn this isn’t a problem. He and his... More

We need public-private partnerships to secure Europe’s digital future

Digital skills are in short supply at a time when Europe needs them most. According to European Commission estimates, Europe faces a shortfall of... More

Tackling the white elephant of youth unemployment

When looking at the current state of the European economy, it is hard to ignore the struggles of one group in particular – today’s youth.... More

Employment Forum 2012: Creating Jobs for Growth

Microsoft is happy to sponsor this year’s European Employment Forum 2012, which will take place in Brussels on the 27th & 28th of... More

Leveraging the Nordic IT-wonder

When you think about the Nordic countries, a couple of images probably pop into your head: breathtaking landscapes, Northern Lights, and tall blonde... More

Fighting cyber threats you can’t see coming

Berlin’s Trifense, an EIT Entrepreneurship Award winner, takes a new approach to Internet security – and starts to gain traction in the... More

What economic downturn? European tech start-ups flourish in the storm

Victor Henning, co-founder of Mendeley, an online service that helps academic researchers organise and share the mounds of documents they collect,... More

Creating an entrepreneurial environment

Social stability, economic prosperity, and cultural richness all depend on educational excellence. Over the past thousand years, European universities... More

Governments improve their services with the help of technology

As I’ve stated several times in the past, I believe that cloud and technology innovations can empower governments and public administrations. In... More

What drives an innovative, IT economy?

At Microsoft, one of my primary roles is leading our Local Software Economy initiative, which aims to accelerate the development of innovative... More

Computation helps understand cancer

The decade of genomic revolution following the complete determination of the human DNA sequence, has produced significant medical advances, and yet... More

Start-ups showcase impressive innovations

With over 16,000 innovative start-ups part of BizSpark in Europe, you’d expect the calibre of the top 15 chosen to pitch in the annual BizSpark... More

Breaking the growth deadlock

Where Europe succeeds, we succeed Europe matters to us. For the past thirty years, it’s been our aim to help fuel the European economy... More

Seizing the opportunity to build a brighter, more competitive future for Europe

With economic headwinds buffeting Europe, governments are confronted by many difficult challenges. But in these unpredictable times, one thing is... More

Microsoft European BizSpark Summit, 7 June - London

Take your place among the leaders of Europe’s innovation community! More

2012’s Olympic host is on a winning streak for start-ups

Holding this year’s European BizSpark Summit in London gives me a good chance to put the spotlight on why the UK’s capital city has... More

Tackling cybersecurity together

Where Europe succeeds, we succeed Europe matters to us. For the past thirty years, it’s been our aim to help fuel the European economy... More

The story continues for Italian BizSpark start-up winners

A year is a long time in the start-up world: in this fast-paced environment, a lot can change quickly. So, I was delighted to catch up with... More

Windows on Europe: Our contribution to advancing growth and competitiveness

Where Europe succeeds, we succeed Europe matters to us. For the past thirty years, it’s been our aim to help fuel the European economy... More

Enriching education for young people with Office 365: a social and economic value-ad

Where Europe succeeds, we succeed Europe matters to us. For the past thirty years, it’s been our aim to help fuel the European... More

BizSpark: realising the full potential of start-ups in Europe

According to the European Commission, the 23 million SMEs in the EU represent 99% of businesses, and are a key driver for economic growth, innovation,... More

Irish cloud-based solution helps make the internet a safer place

In this case study, you can read about Global Business Register (GBR) and their cloud-based solution that aims to make the internet a safer... More

Doctors on a call

A start-up created by two British medics combines social networks and cloud computing to make hospital staffing more efficient. More

Cloud: Enabling SMEs for a stronger European economy

Globally, SMEs are one of the world’s most powerful engines of growth and jobs. It is estimated that 85% of net new jobs in the EU between 2002... More

Efficient legislative network for prospering European SMEs

I believe that SMEs are key to Europe’s economic recovery and I have several reasons that support my thinking. The first reason is sheer volume:... More

eSkills: The Real Stakes in the 2020 Economy

Where Europe succeeds, we succeed Europe matters to us. For the past thirty years, it’s been our aim to help fuel the European... More

European businesses dream big in 2012!

Most successful entrepreneurs are naturally enthusiastic and optimistic people. They have to be, because they have to believe in their potential... More

IAMCP European Leadership Summit 2012

General theme: Innovative SMEs: the key to economic regeneration in Europe Time & Date: 09:15 – 13:00, Tuesday 27th March 2012 Venue:... More

The views of the European Privacy Association on the EU Data Protection Proposal

More protection for EU citizens, but organizational costs for enterprises, with sanctions determined at the EU level – that, in a nutshell, is... More

Long-term Prosperity – Business leaders get their heads in the cloud

The global financial crisis has challenged many businesses across the region, both large and small. In the fight to get Europe back to broader... More

Social Computing: social networks for productivity and learning

Following on from a previous event on Natural Computing, we recently hosted an event on Social Computing, and how innovative minds are... More

How the cloud will fuel Europe’s growth

Where Europe succeeds, we succeed Europe matters to us. For the past thirty years, it’s been our aim to help fuel the European... More

Cloud computing brings job-hunting into the 21st century

In this case study, you can read about Zartis, a company bringing job-hunting into the 21st century with cloud computing. More

SkillPages: Enabling a more efficient labour market with cloud computing

In this case study, you can read about SkillPages, an Irish business that developed a platform to transform the way people with skills connect to... More

The Vikings are coming!

The Kingdom of Denmark: the Southernmost of the Nordic countries, bordered by Germany, Sweden and Norway. Its governance comprises three... More

Basic research as a driver of our economic future

The first Innovation Convention and the publication of Horizon 2020 – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation – last... More

Building an innovative and competitive environment for SMEs in Europe

As always on our website, we try and bring you a wide variety of opinion pieces from specialist guest bloggers from both the private and public... More

Getting the mice out of the operating theatres

If doctors could use natural user interfaces, like gestures, surgery could be quicker and safer. More

Innovation means start-ups can ‘dream big’ from day one

Look at the glass – what do you see? Is it half full? Is it half empty? To a lot of start-ups, neither matter because they see... More

Efficient ICT solutions for a stronger European economy

Today, citizens in developed countries look for increased engagement and efficient services; they want more responsiveness and collaboration with... More

Emerging markets - what’s in a name?

It’s hard to believe that the well-known term ‘BRIC’ has now been in use for a decade, yet November 2011 marked the ten year... More

Outlook for 2012, fuelling the European economy

2011 was a year dominated by discussions around the debt crisis, but from a technology point of view Europe saw its fair share of milestones and... More

Swiss innovation on a roll

In just 15 years, Switzerland’s government and universities have worked to make the country a leader in entrepreneurship. It may be known for... More

Irish airline and developers capitalizes on cloud to grow its business

In this case study, you can read about how Aer Lingus scales up their operations with cloud computing and improves customer experience to drive... More

Belgacom gains holistic view of IT systems and stays competitive with cloud

In this case study, you can read about Belgacom, a telecommunications company being able to focus on increasing competiveness after unifying its IT... More

Trade rules suited to VHS tapes in the era of cloud computing

Few would deny the transformative impact the digital economy has had on business and world affairs in the past fifteen years. In the mid-1990s, a... More

The future of gaming in Europe - finding the “Angry Birds” of tomorrow

Video games are a worldwide boom industry and Europe is one of the strongest regions for potential growth. And much of that is being driven by... More

Irish music industry gains transparency with cloud computing

In this case study, you can read about the Irish Music Rights Organisation (IMRO), a non-profit that has not only gained transparency with its... More

The new world of 3D chat

Online messaging hasn’t changed much since it was introduced more than a decade ago. But German start-up Cooee, based in Kaiserlautern, is... More

Europe’s brightest start-ups pitch and impress on Wall Street Journal’s Europe tour

Wall Street Journal Tech Europe has become established as one of THE go-to places to find about the challenges and trends facing Europe’s ICT... More

Cloud, the new playground for European SMEs

The world is changing. We now have something called cloud computing! More

European researchers switch from super computers to cloud computing

More than ever now, the European Commission needs to focus on building and growing the high-performance computing (HPC) market. High-performance... More

The cloud is more than just hot air

In 2001, when chartered accountant Jacob Wandt set out to create the e-conomic accounting software – an online cooperation platform... More

Big ideas for growth and innovation

How can we make our economies succeed, provide jobs and build for the future? These are the big questions on government leaders’ minds... More

Italian commercial waste management made easy with cloud computing

In this case study, you can read about innovative entrepreneurs that opened the doors to Italian small business in helping ministries with commercial... More

Spanish cloud service makes it easier for developers and designers to launch new products

In this case study, you can read about a partnership between Microsoft and the Spanish company, Telefónica in creating a solution for software... More

Building a European cloud by and for SMEs

SMEs form the fabric of the European economy; are they also the fabric of the European cloud? This week, as a contribution to SME Week in... More

Czech cloud innovator helping businesses save time and money

I am coming back with another example of an innovative business that helps build the European cloud market, Cigler Software. More

Video interview: innovation and funding in Europe

We had the great pleasure to chat with Julie Meyer, one of the leading champions for entrepreneurship in Europe, at this year’s Microsoft... More

Building the cloud market in Europe

As we mentioned several times before, cloud computing is an evolution in the technology industry that promises significant economic benefits in Europe... More

Tech on Tour: Wall Street Journal to meet Europe’s start-up community

10 capitals in just 20 days: this is the plan of Ben Rooney, editor of the Wall Street Journal’s Tech Europe, with the aim “to take the... More

How to recruit innovation into Europe’s SMEs

The ICT sector is a very fluid and aggressive global market where technology is driving change, in fact it’s driving innovation across all... More

Success story: At Kobojo virtual goods mean real money

Founded three years ago, Kobojo develops games for social media such as Facebook. Now it is developing a business model that transforms virtual... More

Into the cloud, a new way of doing business

It’s nearly impossible for companies to stay on top of the explosion of useful information about markets, competitors and customers that crops... More

What a difference a year makes for the 2010 BizSpark Summit entrepreneurs

With this year’s edition of the European BizSpark Summit just behind us, we wanted to see what winning the competition meant for last... More

From science to enterprise: new apps for the cloud

Organisations of all types are adopting cloud computing technologies to gain flexibility and strategic advantage in their environments. More

From fifteen to one, the champion of the European BizSpark Summit

To paraphrase Fidelity Growth Partners Europe’s Simon Clark, one of the judges at this year's BizSpark European Summit: it’s pretty tough... More

Inspiring the next generation of scientists

Educate, inspire, connect – three words that describe the unique summit taking place this year: the 61st annual Lindau Nobel Laureate... More

Working smarter for a more competitive Europe

If you have ever needed to be away from the office to look after your child at the last minute, run an important personal errand or even accept a... More

Current trends in European funding for smart and sustainable growth

I’m glad to see that alongside the topic of sustainable cloud computing, a central theme at this year’s BizSpark Summit will be on funding... More

Irish e-trade company meeting global demand through cloud

In this case study, you can read about how TradeFacilitate, an Irish company successfully scales-up its operation to serve a larger market without... More

Ensuring cloud computing services for the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency

Cloud computing brings great benefits to Europe’s start-ups and SMEs in terms of cost benefits, ease to up-scale their businesses and efficient... More

Video interview: Jobs of the future, your access pass? Training and certifying for the cloud

Paving the way for new digital technologies such as the transition to the cloud requires a parallel investment in human capital. More

Smart use of technology helps improve work environment

Flexible working is the norm in many Microsoft subsidiaries across Europe. Employees are empowered to use our own technology – from Lync to... More

How enabling technologies bring new business models to advance eHealth for citizens in France

This week I had the pleasure of participating in the eHealth Conference as part of the CIEN (Crossroads for the Electronics and Digital Industry) in... More

Event: Microsoft European BizSpark Summit, 14 June - Brussels

Now in its 7th year, the BizSpark European Summit brought together thought-leaders in the entrepreneurial community across Europe - investors,... More

The final 15: the start-ups chosen to present at this year’s BizSpark European Summit

What a great market Europe is for tech entrepreneurship and innovation. Hundreds of start-ups from across Europe were entered into this... More

ATC21S: Defining 21st Century Skills…

In January, Microsoft participated in the largest gathering of Ministers of Education in Europe and around the world at the Education World... More

Going global in 60 minutes

For Irish entrepreneur John Dennehy, the arrival of cloud computing offered a powerful argument to launch a new company. Dennehy was convinced... More

Finland’s model for an innovation university

Finland has set out to create a university that has innovation built into its foundations, merging three institutions into one along the way. Is... More

Digital skills for growth and welfare in Denmark

“What could we get if we invested 4 billion Euros in digital infrastructure and skills instead of building a fixed link across the Femern Belt... More

Partnership and innovation in action: this year’s BizSpark European Summit

The IT industry’s constant evolution is what makes it so exciting. Our annual BizSpark European Summit is a great demonstration of... More

Information technology skills boost innovation

Are our schools and universities teaching the right skills to enable a new generation of IT practitioners to drive forward innovation? The... More

UK Prime Minister David Cameron launches ‘StartUp Britain’

I firmly believe that entrepreneurial initiatives are crucial to the growth of European economy. Startups should be able to operate in a supportive... More

Back to the boot camp: Fitness training for new enterprises

Belgian IT engineer Didier Beka had a new idea: software that would enable people with hearing or speaking disabilities to communicate by telephone.... More

Helping the next generation of start-ups in Portugal

Portugal has appeared in the news a lot in recent months due to its severe economic problems, but what is perhaps less well-known that Portugal has a... More

Ireland’s competitiveness and jobs opportunity: cloud computing

A question on a lot on Irish people's minds at the moment is: where next for Ireland? What areas do we need to focus on to restore... More

Size doesn’t matter: transforming small businesses in the cloud

Size doesn’t matter anymore, the over-riding lesson we are learning worldwide is that a business that gets ahead of the curve is a smart one,... More

Recipe for success for French gaming company

In this case study, you can read about how a French software development company is managing to stay competitive in the gaming industry by having an... More

Leading Irish start-ups to success

As mentioned in an earlier post, Ireland is one of Europe’s key hubs for innovation where entrepreneurial initiatives, crucial to the growth of... More

Associated Press, scaling up with cloud computing

In this case study, you can read about how cloud computing has provided the Associated Press (AP) with new opportunities to open its revenue streams... More

Career Factor! Online virtual reality show

Career Factor is the new online reality show based on the experiences of 9 IT personalities seeking to improve their careers by learning new skills,... More

An Innovation Union for SMEs

Small and medium-sized enterprises – SMEs – will be the powerhouse of the Innovation Union that the EU must become if we are to enjoy... More

Mobile romance for any day of the year

Valentine’s Day isn’t the only day in the year to show someone you care! My colleague Claire Lee spoke with one of our partners,... More

Irish company uses cloud to give SMEs access to the same HR tools as large firms

In this case study, you can read about an Irish company which is enabling SMEs in Europe by developing multi-featured and highly customisable HR... More

Looking at the Agenda for New Skills for New Jobs

Skills are the link to the successful economies of Europe 2020. The way in which we forecast skills demands, provide access to relevant learning tools... More

Video interview: Get the money flowing to the new ideas in Europe

It’s a humbling experience talking with CEOs of European start-ups, particularly in the ICT sector. More

Students engage digital skills to help IGOs, NGOs and Nonprofits

Microsoft has recently launched Imagine Cup Solve This, a new program to provide inspiration for students looking to help solve the world’s... More

New ways of learning - going digital

The way we learn is changing. The voices of young people from across the globe are captured in this video, illustrating how they see the transition to... More

Europe's digital pathway

The ‘European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion' is drawing to a close. This should make us wonder why we still see an... More

Simplifying sales intelligence in the UK with cloud computing

In this case study, you can read about the new way a UK based company is engaging with its customers and building its software business due to the... More

Growing European SMEs

Andreas Klinger’s 18-month struggle to find money for a new company helps explain why Europe doesn’t produce more start-ups. Klinger... More

Preparing for Europe 2020 jobs

Many of the jobs in the next two decades simply do not exist today. Regardless of economic sector - retail, automotive, logistics, tourism,... More

Catalonian centre driving innovation through ICT

In this case study, you can read about a Catalonian centre which is helping Spanish businesses become more productive through collaboration with... More

The EBAN Winter University, opportunities for business angels and start-ups

See what Microsoft’s Blaise Vignon and Brigitte Baumann, President of EBAN, had to say on the event which provided opportunities for growth and... More

The Innovation Emergency; looking for practical solutions

As we’ve highlighted in previous posts, one by the President of the SME Union and another on European Commission’s initiative:... More

President of the SME Union on what makes an innovative and entrepreneurial Europe

We had the chance to chat to Peter Jungen, the President of the SME Union and Chairman of Economic Policy council of EPP at the European Parliament.... More

Nordic hotel chain reduces costs with cloud computing strategy

In this case study, you can read about how cloud computing helps a Nordic hotel chain save up to 3 million SEK on IT maintenance costs... More

Mapping pathways to employment: connecting students to careers

Did you know that 77 percent of jobs will require technology skills in the next five years as predicted by experts? (Source: IDC) That's... More

Is Europe prepared for the cloud?

In this latest video recorded at the European Summit earlier this year we ask: Is Europe prepared for cloud computing? More

Postcard from Paris: Windows Phone 7 driving innovation with tech start-ups & developers

When Steve Ballmer visited Microsoft’s French HQ in Paris a few weeks ago, he seemed pretty impressed with the entrepreneurial community here... More

Show me the money: tapping into Europe’s funding streams

Government grants are often so complex and costly to obtain that small companies never bother. More

Reporting from EVCA Innovation Exchange – Investing in start-ups in Europe

Joe Wilson, new Western European lead, speaks from the heart about what Microsoft is trying to do for start-ups in Europe. As a veteran... More

Igniting the spark of innovation for start-ups in Finland

Economic Challenges: Last week the European Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (EVCA) reported healthy signs in the Nordic... More

Chairman of Microsoft Europe discusses support for entrepreneurs in the EU at ICT Finance Marketplace 2010

While there are some great success stories for us to highlight, it’s important we don’t lose sight of the major hurdles that entrepreneurs... More

Take pride: young Britain works - Year 2

The recent announcement of “Youth on the Move” by the European Commission has highlighted the challenge we have in Europe to help our... More

Cloud computing: The fast way to bring software to new markets

In this case study, you can read about an Italian company that was able to quickly develop and deploy its software to new markets just by using a... More

Innovation Summit encourages youth to jump in the fast lane

Creativity is at the heart of stimulating innovation and fostering sustainable growth at European level. When it is combined effectively with... More

Video interview: fostering the entrepreneurial spirit in Europe

In our second video from this year's Microsoft BizSpark European Summit series, we hear from some of the region’s most promising start-ups. More

Clean-up time of London streets improved with cloud computing

In this case study, you can read about LoveCleanStreets, a cloud-based application that helps London authorities manage street care with the help of... More

European Grants Advisor (EUGA) supports SME's business development in Bulgaria

Bulgarian firm Fresh Up Label wanted to implement an electronic system to help manage an increasingly complex production process. Funding... More

Views on cloud computing and the impact on business models

Irish company InishTech Software specializes in helping Europe’s technology entrepreneurs adopt flexible licensing terms that help them be more... More

How can start-ups & SMEs benefit from the European single market thanks to the Digital Agenda?

How can small businesses succeed in a market as internally varied as Europe? Will current EU regulation further help the growth process for... More

Cloud computing critical to Digital Agenda’s success

Last week I joined John Vassallo, Microsoft’s VP for EU Legal and Corporate Affairs, for an interview with Teri Schulz of Deutsche Welle radio.... More

Why cloud computing is good for European business

The BizSpark European Summit in Paris proved to be a great platform to exchange ideas and best practices for start-ups in Europe. In fact, we... More

Interview series: Cloud computing enabling a competitive European business environment

In the final video in our cloud computing interview series we have taken clips from a number of speakers like Geert Ferranti, Sale Director... More

Cloud computing is becoming the norm for many Dutch business processes

In our latest video looking at cloud computing today, Henk Kok, Director of Perrit, explains how cloud computing is enabling a competitive European... More

Growing your business on Microsoft's cloud platform Azure

This video looks at the experience of entrepreneurs using the Azure platform. Aidan Gallagher, CEO Inishtech & Conor O’Riordan, CEO... More

French SMEs step around infrastructure barriers with cloud computing

In this case study, you can read about the cloud solution developed by a French SME currently deployed to more than 3500 users in 300 offices around... More

Using cloud to manage the chaos caused by rapid company growth

In this case study, you can read about how MiniLiner, an air-cargo firm is managing chaos caused by scaling up and saving up to €50,000 annually... More

Operating in the cloud boosts SME competitiveness in Spain

In this case study, you can read about cloud provides a simplified communications solution for a Spanish company who went virtual, helping them boost... More

CNBC interview with Microsoft on the opportunities for startups to grow in Europe

During the BizSpark Investor Summit in Paris last month our Chairman for Microsoft Europe, Jan Muehlfeit, was interviewed by CNBC to give his views on... More

Video series: How do you connect entrepreneurs to the right grants in Europe?

As part of the Emerging Business team at Microsoft, I have been working closely with start-ups and entrepreneurs across the world for quite a few... More

Going for Go

Go is a game so complex that raw computing power was never going to be enough to turn it into a competitive computer game. But two Cambridge... More

Enabling EU funding for Irish businesses

In the first of our 3 videos on the EUGA Irish launch in Dublin we hear from Nicky Martin, Managing Director - Affect Network, who explains the... More

6th Microsoft BizSpark European Summit on growth and entrepreneurship

What? A one-day event in Paris on May 25th hosted by Microsoft and broadcast LIVE online. Bringing together key entrepreneurs in Europe for a... More

The Art of Innovation with Guy Kawasaki

Have a look again at the first session of the BizSpark Summit that took place on May 25th in Paris and was hosted by Guy Kawasaki. More

The continuation of the success story of French startup

The challenges faced today by a startup in Europe are clear: you have to be innovative, fast, and stay ahead of the competition. More

Cloud computing brings cost savings, flexibility and scaling to UK businesses

In this interview Nigel Gibbons, Executive Chariman – Unitech talks about the cloud and how it is changing the way we do business. More

Cloud computing interviews

Every year we bring together and discuss trending topics with business start-ups and growing companies developing products and services on... More

EU survey on entrepreneurship

The European Commission has recently released the results of a survey around public attitudes on various issues leading to entrepreneurship, such as... More

The winners of Microsoft’s 2010 pitch slam competition for European entrepreneurs

The 6th BizSpark Summit was a great success, with some dynamic speakers including Sillicon Valley entrepreneur and host of the summit, Guy Kawasaki.... More

Microsoft recognised as a great place to work in 2010

I’m trying hard to contain my pride right now as Microsoft recently won the award for the number one best place to work in Europe, for the third... More

Brussels Half-marathon: cloud helps organizer deal with huge online traffic peaks

In this case study, you can read about how Chronorace, a logistics company, handled huge demands for accessing multimedia on its Brussels... More

Helping Britain get back to work! Microsoft UK fosters 500,000 people into skills and work

With UK unemployment reaching 2.5m and 77% of all jobs requiring digital skills, we launched Britain Works in September 2009 to help 500,000 people... More

Hungry? Reach for the cloud…

Superbowl Sunday is big business in the US as people all over the nation tune in to watch the American football match of the year. Pizza deliveries... More

Microsoft welcomes the 'Digital Agenda for Europe'

Microsoft welcomes the “Digital Agenda for Europe” as a bold roadmap for action. We share the European Commission’s view that... More

French developers help you expand your virtual office space with cloud computing

In this case study, you can read about YouSAAS, a software vendor who achieved an increase of over 20,000 users in six months due to cloud... More

Inside the cloud

The cloud is one of the most popular terms in IT today but perhaps also one of the least well defined. FUTURES guides you through the how and the why. More

Microsoft on entrepreneurship and start-ups: video series

As part of the Emerging Business team at Microsoft, I have been working closely with start-ups and entrepreneurs right across the world for quite a... More

Saving lives at sea in the UK with cloud computing

In this case study, you can read about how the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) worked with Active Web Solutions (AWS) to develop a... More

Aviva unites operations in 28 countries with cloud computing

In this case study, you can read about how Aviva, a global organisation who unites its operations in 28 countries with cloud computing. Aviva... More

New programme launched in Ireland to help start-ups succeed

I recently read this article on BizSpark in Ireland on siliconrepublic.com (check out their website, there’s some great tech articles) and it... More

Made in Finland: Cloud enables secure solutions to contract management

Our guest blogger today is Riitta Raesmaa, partner and co-founder of Sopima, a Finnish SME and part of the Microsoft BizSpark programme! More

Case study: growing Sweden's ICT skills with the help of Microsoft programme for start-ups

Sweden’s public employment service has launched a project to help more people achieve long-term employment in the ICT sector, made possible by a... More

Microsoft programme to help start-ups access funding comes to Ireland

We’ve said it before but we’ll say it again: Ireland is one of the most exciting countries for tech entrepreneurs and one of the strongest... More

Boosting employee working efficiency in large firms: UK's Royal Mail Group and cloud computing

In this case study, you can read about the Royal Mail Group has improved their efficiency by giving its employees reliable & simple ways to access... More

Funding boost for Telecentre-Europe will aid Europe’s digital literacy

With support from Microsoft, enabling Telecentre-Europe to meet and develop the bid, they have secured a €260,000 capacity-building grant from... More

Fuelling EU growth through cloud computing technologies

In Europe and elsewhere, computing is experiencing a powerful transformation. Driven by continuous innovations in software, hardware and the Internet,... More

HSBC & Microsoft partnering to help today’s European Startups

What do HSBC and the BizSpark program have in common? They are both focused on supporting innovative SMEs across the world. More

Introducing EUGA: a terrific resource for European SMEs

It has been brought to our attention that we have not yet featured European Grants Advisor (EUGA) in our Growth & SMEs blog, which is a crying... More

Video interview with Chairman of Microsoft Europe: Unlocking human potential

Jan Muehlfeit, Chairman of Microsoft Europe, on unlocking human potential through inspiring creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship; and improving... More

Cloud Computing: Software plus Services explained

Ray Ozzie introduced the term Software plus Services about 3 years ago and since then it’s where I have focused all of my time at Microsoft. More

Chairman of Microsoft Europe video blog: future challenges for Europe

I was asked to describe in 5 minutes how we can help to overcome the challenges facing Europe. More

Competing isn’t just about winning

While competitions are great to win, they are also a great way for start-ups to network with investors and possible partners, hone their presentation... More

Nordics lead the way in Growth & SMEs momentum

Recently, we were reminded that the Nordic region is a vibrant community for technology innovation and entrepreneurs. We took part in two events in... More

Video: Extracts from debate on ‘Investing in the skills Europe needs for an Innovation Society?’

This video captures snapshots of the thoughts, recommendations and commentary that were sparked during the November 30th dinner debate around 'Skills... More

Businesses access grants money immediately through a zero per cent interest loan

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Portugal were struggling to use funding opportunities provided by the government. The awarding... More

New featured European start-ups on BizSpark, in Italy and Romania

Last month, I posted an entry leading you to the MicrosoftStartupZone’s latest featured European start-up and promised that I’d keep you... More

An insider’s take on the Dublin Data Centre: growth prospects and the local response

We were very proud to announce the grand opening of our Dublin data centre in September 2009. More

Report: eSkills are needed to drive European innovation

In the coming five years, only 10% of jobs will be left for those who have no ICT skills, a figure that is especially significant at a time of rising... More

Low carbon: Public-private partnerships take up the challenge

Big challenges can encourage big solutions, and at the end of last year there was no challenge bigger than Europe’s response to the economic... More

Commission to propose Innovation Act

Is a European Innovation Act what’s needed to make Europe more innovative and strengthen growth and competitiveness in the EU? Policymakers,... More

Time to get going again

When the new Commission is appointed, it will find a raft of proposals waiting for it – all aimed at putting research, development and... More

That special spark: A helping hand for innovative start-ups

Who would start a business development for start-ups in a slump? That’s precisely when it has to be done, says Microsoft. More

Constructive disruption

Microsoft’s Akhtar Badshah wants to be a disruptive influence More

Jean-Philippe Courtois on "The good entrepreneur"

Heard of The Good Entrepreneur? It’s a TV show where entrepreneurs from across Europe compete for a hefty prize package of €250,000 by... More

Get on the Bus – what happened next?

We recently wrote about the Get on the Bus tour of 12 European cities by the Microsoft Born to Learn team. More

Windows 7 and European ICT growth

Erich Andersen, VP and Deputy General Counsel of the Windows Business at Microsoft, speaking about Windows 7 as a potential driver of the European ICT... More

An expert’s take: The state of European entrepreneurship

Cliff Reeves – General Manager of the Emerging Business Team (which in non-Microsoft speak means he works with start-ups and investors to... More

John Vassallo on cloud computing and growth

Microsoft's Vice President for EU affairs blogs via video on how ICT can stimulate Europe's growth More

Microsoft’s BizSpark fires up startups, ignites a community

Almost exactly a year ago, Microsoft launched BizSpark, a global program designed to catalyze the success of entrepreneurs by making Microsoft’s... More

e-skills in Europe: expert opinions

Interviews with stakeholders on e-skills in Europe. Filmed at the launch of the report - Post Crisis: e-skills are needed to drive Europe’s... More

CITEVE for unemployed people

CITEVE and Microsoft join hands to support Portugals textile industry workers by providing them with IT training to update their skills and re-enter... More

Windows 7 and the European ICT economy

Please click below to view a short 1-minute interview with Erich Andersen, VP and Deputy General Counsel of the Windows Business at Microsoft, filmed... More

Get on the Bus (and take your career to the next step...)

As of last week the Microsoft Born to Learn team has been touring Europe on a bus and creating a lot of buzz... More

“Cloud Computing guy for Microsoft International”

I just looked up the term Cloud computing on Google News and unless I’m doing something wrong, it appears that the term has turned up in as many... More

The latest featured European start-up on BizSpark

Microsoft BizSpark is a programme we’ve developed to help early stage startups by providing them with key resources - access to software,... More

SMEs in IT and cloud: The engine of Europe’s growth

John Vassallo (Microsoft VP EU Affairs) outlines the crucial role small and medium enterprises active in the ICT industry play in strengthening the... More

More on Garbage Information Gathering

Garbage Information Gathering eases up the clean-up in Roskilde Festival using mobile technology More

Young French company leads the way in financial software innovation

When Paris-based Pricing Partners SAS set itself the goal of becoming a global player in financial valuation software solutions, it enlisted support... More

Microsoft helps exciting French startup to aim for global success

To develop its world-leading 3D simulation technology, French startup SimplySim turned to Microsoft for advice and practical support. SimplySim gained... More

Portuguese Businesses Receive Grants in Just 15 Days Rather Than Months

Portugal’s national employment agency offers grants to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to train their new employees. The European... More

Boosting ‘IT fitness’ through skills and qualifications in Germany

In Germany’s knowledge-rich economy, it is estimated that 75 percent of productivity growth is generated through the use of information and... More

Giving talented developers a head start on their careers

Through the Students to Business (S2B) program, Microsoft collaborates with universities and businesses to provide students with specialized IT... More

ICT - the way out of the economic crisis

Viviane Reding, European commissioner for all things hi-tech, is known for telling it like it is. A passionate advocate for new technologies, she has... More

How to solve the cluster equation?

In 1997, Microsoft opened its first big European lab – and it placed it in what was then Europe's only serious answer to Silicon Valley:... More

Flying high: a technology volunteer’s story

Ali Tarabit has been a volunteer with the charity organization Aviation Sans Frontières (ASF) for almost three years. With his help, ASF has... More