Microsoft donates $1bn of cloud services

Can cloud computing change the world? Microsoft believes it can. Cloud computing has emerged as an essential resource for addressing some of the world’s biggest problems, helping to solve issues across a range of economic and social challenges.

There are now plans afoot to expand the reach of the cloud to a wider segment of the world’s population.  Microsoft will be donating $1bn of its cloud services to non-profits and University research departments.

The delivery of this project will come in three parts. The donations will be delivered over the next three years, providing 70,000 non-profits with Microsoft’s cloud services through donations and significant discounts which will include Azure, Office 365, Power BI, CRM Online, and the Enterprise Mobility Suite.

Next, Microsoft Research will expand its Azure for Research grant programme by 50% which will provide support for extra university research projects.

And last but not least, Microsoft’s Business Development group, in partnership with Microsoft Philanthropies, will increase the number of projects in its Affordable Access Initiative to 20, in at least 15 countries around the world by the mid-2017.

All three stages of the project will be managed by Microsoft Philanthropies, a new initiative that launched last year with the aim of driving digital inclusion and empowerment.

For more information on the announcement, please click here and have a look at the video below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enR-RCMGbI8&feature=youtu.be