MICs (Western Europe)

Microsoft and partners in each community work together to operate the MICs, which are centers open to students, professional software developers, IT professionals, entrepreneurs, and academic researchers. While each Center tunes its programs to local needs, they all provide similar content and services designed to acceler­ate technology advances and stimulate local software economies through skills and professional training, industry partnerships and innovation. Primary areas of focus include:

Skills and Workforce Development:

The Skills development programs focuses on intellec­tual capital and people enablement with technical and business courses for local ICT companies and structured employment programs for students.

Business and Industry Partnerships:

The Partnership Accelerator focuses on enabling successful partnerships by connecting people and organizations in the innova­tion ecosystem. The MICs do this by offering programs on partnering with Microsoft, and by cultivating local and regional industry alliances that support the growth of software ‘industry clusters’ and software quality assurance programs.

Solutions and Innovation:

The Innovation Accelerator focuses on enhancing local capac­ity for innovation through hands on engagements. This includes labs, prototype development, testing for ISVs, startups, partners, students, and entrepreneurs.