Sun Microsystems, India today announced that it is expanding its successful Sun Startups Essentials(SM) program into India to help early stage companies get up and running quickly while conserving cash in this emerging market. The program (www.sun.com/startupessentials) will help the startup community access to key technology and services to help them stay ahead of competition and get to market quickly by offering them discounts on a range of Sun's industry-leading technologies and services and the ability to subscribe to Web hosting services from Sun partners at deeply discounted rates. 

In today's market, early stage companies are challenged to quickly bring to market applications and to offer them with high scalability and availability within their limited IT budget. These startup companies are constantly looking for ways to become more efficient with their resources while they have to plan for success. Sun provides startups with an opportunity to help them reach their full potential through the Sun Startup Essentials program, which was launched in the United States in November 2006 and approximately 700 companies have applied for the program today. In response to a large demand from startups based outside the United States who expressed interest in the Sun Startup Essentials program, Sun is extending the program to India and the Peoples Republic of China due to the rapid growth in numbers of developers and startups in these regions. This extension is the first step in Sun's larger BRICK (Brazil, Russia, India, China and Korea) strategy to expand programs to the world's most vibrant, rapidly emerging markets. 

Speaking at the launch of the program, Mr K.P.Unnikrishnan, Director- Marketing, Strategic Alliances and Teleweb Sales, Sun Microsystems India said, “India’s large developer population and dynamic market conditions provide just the right environment to seed start ups. And one of the basic requirements for these organizations to be up and running quickly is the use of technology infrastructure. Through this program, we act as a technology enabler by providing affordable technology and lending our experience and support to such companies, which could be the catalyst for the growth of the Indian economy.

“Sun is an avid supporter of building communities and through the Sun Startup Essentials program we're able to share our experience as well as offer substantial discounts to these early stage companies,” said Juan Carlos Soto, VP of Market Development at Sun Microsystems. “By making the program available in these emerging markets in Asia, we're tapping into an innovative community that adopts and adapts new technology rapidly and enabling startups to get to market quickly and economically.”

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