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"Telefonica Digital\u2019s tech start-up accelerator programme, Wayra, which launched in the UK last month, has signed an agreement to join forces with Microsoft to help out technology entrepreneurs.\r\n\r\nThe two companies will work together to provide tools, knowledge and technical training for projects supported by the Wayra initiative.\r\n\r\nThe agreement has a global reach and will help out more than one hundred startups that are currently being accelerated by Wayra in nine countries. Fret not if you're just starting out, new projects will also be able to benefit from the agreement as they are selected by Wayra to be accelerated in Europe and Latin America.\r\n\r\nUnder the terms of the agreement, Wayra startup projects will have direct access to Microsoft\u2019s BizSpark program. Entrepreneurs can get their hands on licenses for Microsoft Software Development Platforms, subscription to exclusive content for developers within Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN), specialized technical support sessions and visibility within Microsoft Partners and Mentors Network.\r\nExpansion and support\r\nAs Telefonica Digital continues its global rollout of Wayra, applications to the new Wayra Academy in London closed on Sunday April 22 with over 1,000 UK-based tech startups applying to gain one of twenty spaces at the Academy.\u00A0The applications will now be shortlisted down to 30 with the final selection invited to attend Wayra Week in May.\r\n\r\nGonzalo Mart\u00EDn-Villa, Head of Wayra believes that the new arrangement will raise the bar for startups working with the accelerator:\r\n\u201CAnother step in providing more and better tools to entrepreneurs. The talent we have in all our Wayra Academies will now be able to access a new range of first level technological products and services to accelerate their projects.&amp;quot;\r\nJean-Philippe Courtois, President, Microsoft International, is keen to support entrepreneurs and feels that the agreement will be mutually beneficial:\r\n\u201CThe first three years for start-ups are usually the most critical and raise more challenges for their long-term success. This agreement will allow us to reach more entrepreneurs worldwide helping them to accelerate their good ideas and develop great companies\u201D\r\nWayra is keen to create a supportive environment for entrepreneurs in technology, it has already been working with hackathons to nurture ideas. This latest move will only help to give startups the much needed advice and resources that they need to aim for success."^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://thenextweb.com/insider/2012/04/24/telefonicas-wayra-teams-with-microsoft-corporation-to-support-tech-entrepreneurs/>