SoftCity, a Network Partner of Microsoft BizSpark

Registered developers of SoftCity can take advantage of the many valuable benefits of BizSpark

MONTREAL - June 09, 2010 - SoftCity, the first social commerce site dedicated to software, today announced it is a network partner for Microsoft® BizSpark™ Program to further assist start-up developers with advanced tools and support for software development. Any qualified and registered developers on SoftCity are now eligible to be sponsored by SoftCity for enrollment in BizSpark. Eligibility requirements are minimal: a developer can qualify if it is a privately held company building a software-based product or service (even using open source code), in business for fewer than three years, and with less than US$ 1M in annual revenue.

BizSpark™ is a worldwide program launched in late 2008 by Microsoft to support developers and offer start-ups all the software (Visual Studio, Expression, Windows Server, SQL Server, Azure...) and Microsoft hosting solutions (PC, Cloud, Web, Mobile, Embedded) they need to successfully develop their software applications. Since it was launched, more than 30,000 startups worldwide have benefited from all the latest Microsoft technologies free of charge for three years.

SoftCity is delighted to be part of the Microsoft BizSpark™ partner network. "We really feel like stakeholders in this outstanding program aimed at helping along the growth of young talents who want to get started today in the fantastic adventure of creating new software applications," said Blaise Rabaud, CEO of SoftCity.

SOFTCITY: MICROSOFT'S NETWORK PARTNER

With one of its main objectives being to bring developers together around a strong community, especially to offer them an opportunity to create software with the support of their peers, SoftCity quite naturally became a Microsoft Network Partner. SoftCity enthusiastically recommends the Microsoft® BizSpark™ program to any developer involved in innovative and ambitious projects. In addition to the outstanding technological benefits (development tools, server platforms, technical support and even "cloud computing") offered under this program, any qualified startup will benefit from high visibility in the community of entrepreneurs, business angels and company incubators, as well as the opportunity to make its products known.

"We are thrilled that SoftCity, which brings many independent developers into its community, has joined our network of partners for the BizSpark™ program," declared Cliff Reeves, General Manager, Emerging Business Team at Microsoft. "SoftCity, one of the first communities built around software, bringing together users, experts and developers, features a completely innovative social-commerce concept for BizSpark members to engage with each other, and to try and buy software."

This valuable new partnership was made possible thanks to the strong ties between Microsoft and Avanquest, founding member of SoftCity. "Based on our long and successful partnership with Microsoft, Avanquest understands the benefits that Microsoft's products and ecosystem can provide to young companies," said Bruno Vanryb, co-founder and CEO of Avanquest Software. "The social commerce aspects of SoftCity and the support and software of BizSpark is an extremely powerful combination of tools for startup developers."

About SoftCity
SoftCity is the first social commerce website dedicated to software enthusiasts. The online site merges a social media community with an online shopping marketplace to purchase software. SoftCity developers, users and experts interact in a community via the SoftCity Café that provides knowledge, expertise, and resources as well as a chance to earn SoftDollars, a virtual currency, to use in the SoftCity Marketplace. The Marketplace provides users the chance to try and buy software while earning more SoftDollars for each purchase. For the first time, software users have one online community for all their software needs. Visit www.SoftCity.com and become part of the first community for software enthusiasts.

Contacts:
Marc-Antoine Ross
SoftCity
Email: mross@softcity.com

Fran Bosecker:
Vantage Communications (For SoftCity)
Tel: +845-536-1416
Email: fbosecker@pr-vantage.com




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