TechStars and Microsoft BizSpark team up to offer startups $60,000 in cloud services on Windows Azure

TechStars today announced an enhanced relationship with Microsoft through the new BizSpark Plus program for accelerators and incubators. Windows Azure offers a platform for the creation of Web applications and services. TechStars works with tech startups around the world that are building products and services in the cloud. The enhanced program allows TechStars accelerators in several U.S. cities to offer each of their startups up to $60,000 of Windows Azure compute and storage over a 24-month period, at no cost. In addition to offering this to TechStars, Microsoft is making this offer available to all founders whose accelerator is part of the Global Accelerator Network, a network of nearly 40 high-quality accelerators from around the world that follow a model similar to TechStars.