Microsoft has opened a new Innovation Lounge within the 1776 start-up hub in Washington D.C. The facility is designed to aid the productivity of small but growing companies by providing them with the technological resources they require.
Writing on the company's TechNet blog, Microsoft explained how 1776 was the perfect place to create the Innovation Lounge as it is a focal point for over 200 company start-ups local to the area. It is designed to facilitate access to expertise in areas usually inaccessible to small businesses and provides an area for entrepreneurs to create and collaborate while relaxing in the pleasing environment that the hub provides. It also is a space for companies to demonstrate their products to prospective customers in.
The new lounge is equipped with the latest Microsoft hardware which can be freely used by anyone on the campus; this includes new Surface tablet computers, Windows Phones, a 55-inch Perceptive Pixel touchscreen display, an Xbox One and a Makerbot 3D printer. Users of the facility will also have access to Windows 8.1, Office 365 and Visual Studio as well as other Microsoft services such as Skype, Azure and CRM Online. Microsoft technicians will also be frequently available to help resolve issues and to provide support and guidance.
Part of the Microsoft Ventures program, the company worked with 1776 during the construction of the space to create an area which all can use and enjoy whilst utilizing the latest hardware and software in the computing world in their projects. Microsoft describes the new space as an area to 'work, collaborate, create and play in' and hopes that it will help the young, growing companies within the 1776 campus to expand and flourish in the world of business through the free usage of Microsoft technology.
