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Microsoft Ignite concluded just before the US Thanksgiving holiday, bringing together customers, developers and partners in Chicago to discuss new approaches to AI work and adoption. Microsoft Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Satya Nadella alone announced about 80 new ways AI and Copilot can help startups safely implement and build AI-based solutions to bring value to their customers.
With the increasing use of generative AI – and almost 70% of Fortune 500 companies now use Microsoft 365 Copilot: it’s clear that AI is transforming industries at every level. Leveraging AI responsibly, committing to security, and keeping pace with an ever-changing technology landscape is a balance that anyone working with AI faces every day. One of the things we’re seeing from our customers is businesses and startups partnering to further accelerate AI adoption while being responsible and secure.
I had the honor of joining a podcast And presentation alongside colleagues, founders and customers on this topic – this formula of bringing together the resources and scale of big tech with the innovation and agility of startups to help customers do more and innovate faster – with built-in guarantees.
We saw this in action at Unilever, which partnered with Holistic AI, a Microsoft for startups Startup Pegasus, to leverage its AI governance solution and monitor AI compliance across ever-changing regulations and standards. AI governance and assurance has enabled Unilever to mitigate risk, optimize operations and transform customer support, creating value quickly and at scale. It’s one of many examples of how startups are uniquely positioned to help businesses in the AI era.
As I reflect on the excitement and momentum generated by Microsoft Ignite, I want to thank everyone who worked tirelessly to bring so many sessions and experiences to life, as well as all the participants who joined to have meaningful discussions, share feedback and learn. from each other. For those who may have missed it, I’m sharing some key resources for continued learning and connection below, including some created and provided by our Developer Advocates team. I’m excited to see the startup ecosystem continue to drive innovation and AI adoption forward, and I can’t wait to see what the next year brings.
- Azure AI Foundry: Azure AI Studio, now renamed Azure AI Foundry, enables startups to accelerate AI development with a comprehensive suite to efficiently create, customize, and deploy AI models. This streamlined approach reduces development time and costs, allowing startups to bring AI-based products to market faster.
- Customizing and experimenting with AI models: Startups can leverage collaborations with companies like Gretel Labs, Scale AI, and the recently announced integration with Microsoft Ignite’s Weights & Biases (W&B) to overcome data challenges and accelerate AI model development . These partnerships provide access to advanced tools for data preparation, A/B testing, and robust model tracking, allowing startups to refine their models for better accuracy and performance, thereby driving innovation and competitiveness.
- Azure AI Agent Service: This service allows startups to create intelligent agents that automate complex workflows, thereby enhancing their products with AI capabilities. It improves operational efficiency and offers advanced features to customers without significant development costs.
- Copilot Studio and Agent Production: For startups with limited resources, this democratizes AI development by allowing non-experts to create personalized AI agents. It facilitates rapid prototyping and iteration, allowing startups to innovate quickly and respond to market demands.
- Co-pilot and AI agent actions in Microsoft 365: Startups can leverage these productivity tools to streamline operations, reduce manual workloads, and focus more on strategic initiatives. This efficiency is vital in fast-paced startup environments where resources are often limited.
- AMD and NVIDIA Blackwell AI on Azure: AI-focused startups can access powerful computing resources on Azure, including NVIDIA’s Blackwell AI and AMD’s MI300X GPUs, to train complex models faster and at scale. This capability is crucial for developing advanced machine learning applications and maintaining competitiveness in AI-enabled markets.
- Azure HBv5 virtual machines: High-performance computing resources are essential for startups that perform large-scale calculations, simulations, or data analysis. Azure HBv5 can significantly reduce processing times and operational costs, allowing startups to scale efficiently.
- Microsoft Fabric Databases: Microsoft Fabric provides startups with powerful tools to streamline operations, harness real-time insights, and drive data-driven innovation with announcements like SQL Databases in Public Preview, Real-Time Intelligence for data streaming and the OneLake catalog for unified data management.
- Azure Boost DPUs: Startups managing data-intensive workloads can benefit from improved performance and cost savings. This technology allows them to scale data processing operations more efficiently.
- AI reporting and assessments: These tools help startups ensure their AI applications are safe, compliant, and effective. They help build trust with users and stakeholders and meet regulatory requirements, which is crucial for startups aiming for sustainable growth.
- Zero Day Quest Hack Event: Security-focused startups or those interested in showcasing their expertise can participate to gain recognition, network with industry leaders and potentially win substantial rewards that could support their growth and development.
Find all the announcements you may have missed during Microsoft Ignite in The book of news.
Check out our featured startups at Microsoft Ignite
Microsoft for startups was proud to showcase some of our best AI and cybersecurity startups at Microsoft Ignite to show how they are innovating for customers and leveraging unique solutions. You can find more information about our participating startups here.
