MICROSOFT Corp. has launched a
new fund to cultivate companies
with solutions that bring
affordable Internet access to
underserved markets.
The fund is part of Microsoft’s
Affordable Access Initiative, which
invests in new last-mile access
technologies, cloud-based services
and applications, and business
models that can reduce the cost of
Internet access and help more
people affordably get online.
Started on Monday, eligible
companies can submit their
application online at http://
www.microsoft.com/en-us/
affordable-access-initiative/home.
“Today there are approximately 4
billion people globally without
Internet access,” said Peggy
Johnson, executive vice president
of business development at
Microsoft. “The ability to close
that gap is more achievable than
ever with technology that is
readily available and affordable
in many parts of the world.
Through this fund, we hope to
kick-start the entrepreneurial
process by identifying promising
ideas that we can help nurture,
grow and scale.”
Under its Affordable Access
Initiative, Microsoft partners with
Internet access providers and
other public and private sector
entities on innovative and
practical connectivity and services
solutions designed to deliver the
greatest socio-economic impact to
the greatest number of people.
Examples of other efforts
underway include these:
Microsoft’s deployment of TV
white spaces technology, which
requires that TV frequencies not
being used locally to provide
affordable, robust Internet access
to entire communities. With its
partners, Microsoft is currently
deploying the technology in 17
countries and five continents.
Microsoft 4Afrika Initiative, a
multiyear initiative through which
Microsoft is actively engaging in
Africa’s economic development to
improve its global competitiveness
through locally relevant
innovation, affordable access and
skills development.
