Microsoft joins forces with Austrade

Austrade and Microsoft have announced a new program designed to provide local SaaS solution providers with pre-departure and in-market support services to accelerate international growth.

The Microsoft-Austrade Go Global program commences September 2022. An exclusive cohort of Australian software businesses (from Microsoft’s SaaS partner network) will be provided with the support required to succeed in the United States — the first focus market of the program. Initial participants include Olinqua, Passport 360, WithYouWithMe and Daltrey.

The program will be provided at no cost to participants and support their expansion in the following ways:

• Pre-departure services to prepare program participants for entry into the US market. These include business mentoring, trade and export workshops, and technology-intensive workshops to remove technical roadblocks for projects.
• In-market support delivered through Austrade’s Landing Pads, commencing in San Francisco. Program participants will have access to a coworking space and office facilities for 90 days, as well as one-on-one assistance from a dedicated Landing Pad manager and entrepreneurs in residence. Participants will also join boot camps on sales and marketing and fundraising in the US.
   

Vanessa Sorenson, chief partner officer at Microsoft Australia and New Zealand, said the program comes at a time when Microsoft’s 9000 Australian partners are looking for new ways to expand their operations and attract more customers.

“The economic and trading relationship between Australia and the US is recognised as one of the closest, broadest and most mutually compatible relationships in the world. Our countries share similar economic and regulatory settings, and we know our partners have a desire to enter the US market,” she said.

“We’re thrilled to invest in and support our SaaS partners with high growth potential alongside the Australian Trade and Investment Commission.

“The Microsoft-Austrade Go Global program will help our SAAS partners bring products and services to the world, build their business and scale geographically in a fiercely competitive marketplace,” Sorenson said.

Xavier Simonet, Austrade CEO, said the program will connect some of the promising Australian SaaS scaleups into the US market and ensure they are fully equipped to succeed on the global stage.

“Landing Pads provide market-ready Australian technology businesses with access to some of the world’s most renowned innovation hubs including San Francisco, New York, Tel Aviv, Shanghai, London and Singapore.

“The Landing Pads have helped over 95 Australian technology scaleups to win new business and expand internationally. The US and Canada is where the greatest number of businesses have seen success, so it is the perfect place for our partnership with Microsoft to start,” he said.

Following the completion of the program in September, Microsoft and Austrade intend to expand the program to other international markets, leveraging Austrade’s established international Landing Pad network.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/Christopher Boswell