Microsoft for Startups

AI is moving from experimentation to execution. This month’s AI Digest: Startup Edition brings together the product updates, founder stories, and real-world conversations shaping how startups are building and deploying AI today. Inside this edition: • New capabilities like Fireworks AI in Microsoft Foundry • What enterprise-ready AI really requires beyond the MVP • Startup stories from Notch applying AI in regulated, real-world environments • Conversations on enterprise AI with TrojAI, RegScale, and Reach Security • Women’s History Month spotlights featuring founders from Getbee, Haut.AI, and across the Microsoft for Startups ecosystem. Read the full newsletter 👇 #MicrosoftForStartups #AI #Startups #EnterpriseAI #FounderFriday

If Azure Databricks has been on your team's roadmap, this is a great place to start. 👇 This Microsoft learning path walks you through the fundamentals of Azure Databricks and how it fits into the modern data platform ecosystem. From workspace setup and architecture concepts to Unity Catalog and integrations with Microsoft Fabric, Power BI, and VS Code, you'll come away with the foundation to start building scalable data solutions. A few things we think are especially useful for startup teams: ✅ Understanding compute options to optimize for both performance and cost ✅ Learning how control and compute planes work together ✅ Getting hands-on with Unity Catalog to organize your data assets from day one All you need is some familiarity with SQL, cloud storage, and data analytics basics. 🔗https://msft.it/6044Qx9L2 #AzureDatabricks #MicrosoftForStartups #DataEngineering #CloudData #StartupTech #LearningAndDevelopment

Commerce has always been about people buying from people. But somewhere along the way, e-commerce lost the conversation. For our upcoming Founder Friday, we’re joined by Thea C. Myhrvold - Founder of Getbee, to talk about how conversational commerce is bringing human expertise back into the online shopping experience. In this conversation, we’ll explore: • Why high-consideration purchases still depend on human guidance • How conversational commerce is changing the way brands sell online • What it takes to build a new category before the market is ready • Lessons from scaling an enterprise startup with global retail brands If you’re building in AI, retail, or enterprise SaaS, this will be a great conversation to join. 👉 Register to join the conversation.

The definition of a VC-backable AI startup has changed. Vision still matters. But in 2026, it has to hold up in production. Founders are being asked harder questions, earlier: → How does your system behave at scale? → What happens when it degrades? → How are you handling AI governance in production? Not just on a roadmap. The startups gaining momentum aren't just the ones with the boldest ideas. They're the ones building for durability from day one. We've identified five forces reshaping what founders are building right now and what it takes to go from vision to venture in this environment. From Vision to Venture with M12, Microsoft's Venture Fund → https://lnkd.in/exVYKT-s #AI #Startups #FounderAdvice #Venture

As RSAC comes to a close, one thing is clear: The next wave of cybersecurity will be built by founders turning insight into action. In this conversation, Ravid Circus, Co-Founder and CPO of Seemplicity, shares how the industry is shifting beyond detection toward real-time response. We’ve gotten good at identifying threats. The opportunity now is in what happens next. Startups are leading this shift, rethinking workflows and building AI-driven systems that don’t just surface risk, but help resolve it. A strong note to close out RSAC. Watch the full conversation below 👇 #RSAC #Cybersecurity #AI #Startups #MicrosoftForStartups #BuiltWithMfS

At RSAC, one thing is clear. Enterprise AI only moves as fast as its security. Tom Davis from Microsoft for Startups sits down with Christian Falco from TrojAI to break down how organizations are deploying AI safely in real-world environments. From self-hosted deployments to layered guardrails and real-time security insights, this is what enterprise-ready AI looks like in practice. Watch the full conversation 👇 Learn more about Microsoft at RSAC: https://msft.it/6045QsiWc #RSAC #MicrosoftForStartups #AI #EnterpriseAI #Cybersecurity

RSAC is underway, and we’re already deep in conversations with founders building the future of security. Here’s one big takeaway: Enterprises don’t have a tooling problem. They have a usage problem. In this clip, Tom Davis, Jon Jensen and Michael Baker of Reach Security unpack why security gaps come from misconfigurations and drift, not lack of investment, and what it takes to fix it. Learn more about Microsoft at RSAC: https://msft.it/6045QsiWc #MicrosoftForStartups #RSAC #Cybersecurity #GRC #AI

What happens when AI stops replying and starts acting? For Notch and co-founder Elool Jacoby, the answer is clear. Automation only works if it is auditable, controllable, and safe in production. In regulated industries, support is not a conversation. It is execution with real consequences. Notch is building AI agents that resolve workflows end to end, with the guardrails enterprises need to trust them. Inside how they are making action-taking AI work at scale: https://msft.it/6042QquKm

First time at RSAC? We're here to make sure you get the most out of your experience. Explore the exclusive programs and opportunities available for First-Time Attendees with All Access Passes, designed to help newcomers navigate the conference and connect with peers. https://spr.ly/6048B6pLDQ

Governance, risk, and compliance is slow and expensive, but it does not have to stay that way. 📌 In this conversation, Tom Davis, Microsoft for Startups and Eric Erston, RegScale discuss how enterprises can move toward continuous controls monitoring to support more secure, compliant AI adoption. Headed to RSAC? Learn more about Microsoft at RSAC: https://lnkd.in/e7kRh3Mw #MicrosoftForStartups #AI #Compliance #GRC #RSAC