Microsoft for Startups Program Support (legacy program)

Microsoft for Startups Program Support helps founders build, run, and scale their businesses on Azure by resolving program-related issues, guiding benefit activation, and connecting startups to the right Microsoft support teams at the right time. 

This page explains: 

• Who we are
• What we can help with
• What we don’t support
• Which other Microsoft teams support your startup across your journey 

Who We Are 

The Microsoft for Startups (MfS) Support Team provides reactive, program-specific support for startups participating in the Microsoft for Startups program. 

We partner closely with: 

• Startup Advisors (SA)
• Startup Development Managers (SDM)
• Technical Enablement and Azure support teams 

Our goal is to remove friction so you can activate benefits quickly, stay unblocked, and keep building on Azure. 

MfS Support focuses on program operations and benefits, not deep Azure engineering or architecture design. 

Where MfS Support Fits in the Startup Journey 

As a startup, you’ll interact with different Microsoft teams at different stages: 

• Joining Microsoft for Startups – Program onboarding and benefit activation
• Build – Using Azure credits, deploying workloads, requesting quota
• Go-To-Market – Scaling usage, transitioning off credits, publishing marketplace offers 

MfS Program Support primarily helps during joining, onboarding, and benefit usage, while other teams support product, technical, and GTM needs. 

What the MfS Support Team Can Help With 

Contact Microsoft for Startups Program Support when the issue is related to the program, benefits, or portal. 

In Scope for MfS Support 

We directly own and resolve: 

• Program & Onboarding
  • Application review, approval status, or reapplication questions
  • Program-related FAQs
• Azure Sponsorship & Credits
  • Azure credit activation issues
  • Incorrect sponsorship offer type
  • Credit expiration or usage questions
• Entitlement & Ownership
  • Entitlement Transfers (ET)
  • Updating or correcting the owner account tied to your Azure sponsorship
• Benefit Redemption
  • Azure quota or quota increase requests
  • GPU-related benefit requests (coordination)
  • Redemption issues for:
    • Microsoft 365
    • Dynamics 365
    • GitHub
    • Other Microsoft and third-party startup benefits
  • Verification & Compliance
    • Business or domain verification (for application or level-up)
    • Refund Requests (Coordination)
    • Program-related refund investigations in partnership with central billing teams

How to Contact MfS Program Support 

• All startups must submit requests through the Azure Portal. 

How to get help

1. Go to the Azure portal
2. Click on Program support button
3. Select the category that best matches your issue 

Support Coverage: 

• 24/7 global coverage
• Engineers available across time zones, including weekends 

What MfS Program Support Does NOT Cover 

Some issues fall outside the scope of Program Support. 

Out of Scope for MfS Support 

MfS Support does not directly resolve: 

• Azure service outages or runtime failures
• Production workload debugging
• Azure architecture design or optimization
• Performance tuning, security hardening, or resiliency reviews
• Marketplace technical validation or publishing approvals 

For these issues, use the appropriate Microsoft support teams below. 

Other Microsoft Support Teams That Help Startups 

• Azure Product & Billing Support (ASMS)
  • All startups in Microsoft for Startups receive free Azure support plans, based on tier:
    • Pegasus–T3: Azure Standard Support (production workloads)
    • Entry: Azure Developer Support (non-production workloads) 

Use Azure Support for:

• Azure service errors or outages
• Compute, storage, networking, or AI service issues
• Subscription and billing problems
• Critical production incidents 

Submit tickets directly in the Azure Portal. 

Azure Community Support 

Azure Community Support is a free, self-service option where you can: 

• Ask technical questions
• Learn from Microsoft engineers and community experts
• Explore startup-relevant Azure scenarios 

This is ideal for non-urgent technical questions. 

Startup Advisors & Technical Enablement Teams 

Depending on your tier and engagement model, you may work with:

• Startup Advisor (SA) - Your primary program point of contact
• Startup Development Manager (SDM) - Deep technical advisory and guidance for managed startups
• Startup Technical Consultants (STC) - Advanced technical escalation support
• Azure Technical Advisory (ATA) - Technical guidance for unmanaged tiers 

These teams support: 

• Technical discovery and architecture conversations
• Azure best practices and maturity guidance
• Quota, GPU, and AI infrastructure alignment 

How Support Works Together 

Microsoft for Startups uses a multi-layered support model: 

1. MfS Program Support – Program, benefits, and portal issues
2. Azure Support (ASMS) – Azure product, billing, and production issues
3. Advisors & Technical Enablement – Guidance, optimization, and growth support 

This approach ensures you always know where to go and what to expect. 

When in Doubt 

If you’re not sure who to contact: 

• Start with MfS Program Support for program or benefit questions
• Use Azure Support for service or billing issues
• Ask your Startup Advisor if you need help deciding 

We’re here to help you move forward—faster, clearer, and with confidence.