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Microsoft Announces Worldwide Network of Software Innovation Centers

Posted on: Tuesday, 6 December 2005, 00:00 CST

NEW DELHI, India, Dec. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Microsoft Corp. will create a global network of 90 Microsoft(R) Innovation Centers (MICs) designed to foster strong, self-sustaining local software economies. Microsoft will operate the centers in alliance with local governments, academic institutions, industry organizations and software vendors, with the ultimate goal of fueling long-term economic growth in regions where the centers are located.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000822/MSFTLOGO )

Sanjay Parthasarathy, Microsoft corporate vice president for the Developer and Platform Evangelism Group, announced the debut of the centers as part of the second annual Microsoft Government Leaders Forum (GLF) Asia in New Delhi, India. The MIC network will begin serving local regions immediately from 60 existing Microsoft facilities in Australia, Brazil, China, Germany, Japan, Malaysia and other countries -- all of which have aligned their programs and services to help spur local software innovation and economic development. An additional 30 MICs will open in 2006, with facilities planned in Korea, India and South Africa.

"We are especially pleased to be supporting the national IT goals of many of our host countries, including efforts focused on job creation, fostering innovation and entrepreneurship, and creating more competitive software ISVs," said Bill Gates, Microsoft chairman and chief software architect, prior to the GLF event. "We are listening to our government partners and strongly support their goal of long-term economic growth."

Delivering World-Class Facilities and Resources

The centers provide world-class facilities and resources for students, professional developers, architects, IT professionals and researchers. Hands-on labs and other programs focus on technical and business skills development and spurring advances in areas such as 64-bit architecture, Windows Vista(TM) development and innovative application design. Partnership programs build software-quality certification and assessment, support for student-led research projects, and proof-of-concept projects and workshops.

Government and business leaders applaud MIC services already offered at their existing Microsoft facilities:

"The Microsoft center helps us to accelerate the development of new projects in a way that we never could, due to lack of investments in IT structure and human resources," said Joao Cortez, chief technology officer of ATI, the state information technology agency in Pernambuco, Brazil.

"Our local center has acted as an 'intelligent bridge' to connect us with the correct channel to ask for help in advanced technology development," said Mark Goh, chief executive officer at Equinix Inc., a software vender in Malaysia. "Good biweekly mentorship, support, training, advanced technology updates and resources have been provided to us consistently."

Additional information is available at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass. Information about Microsoft's Innovation Centers can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/mscorp/innovation/centers .

Founded in 1975, Microsoft is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

NOTE: Microsoft and Windows Vista are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000822/MSFTLOGOAP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/PRN Photo Desk photodesk@prnewswire.com

Microsoft Corp.

CONTACT: Microsoft Asia Press Center, +65-6347-2340; or Rapid ResponseTeam of Waggener Edstrom Worldwide, +1-503-443-7070, orrrt@WaggenerEdstrom.com, for Microsoft Corp

Web site: http://www.microsoft.com/

Source: PRNewswire-FirstCall

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