Microsoft ups focus on European IT market

Microsoft's Executive Briefing Centre will be an open house for partners to test technologies

In a bid to increase its presence in the growing European IT market, Microsoft has opened an education facility in Belgium, and is set to boost business in Ireland and the UK. 

Microsoft's Executive Briefing Centre for European Innovation is located in Brussels and opened its doors yesterday. 

The operation will be used to demonstrate the latest Microsoft technologies to businesses, government officials, the media, and other fields such as education.

"The Centre will be an open house for partners to test technologies which can improve the provision of public services, from education to interaction with citizens," said Jean-Philippe Courtois, president of Microsoft International. "New technology often feels remote until it is tried and tested." 

The move into UK and Ireland marks the first spinout of technology from Microsoft's research lab in Cambridge.

Redmond's other expansions in Europe will see it working with London-based start-up Skinkers, which offers event notification and content delivery, and Dublin-based mobile content firm Vimio. 

Microsoft will take a share of Skinkers as part of the deal, while Vimio is simply licensing Microsoft's video optimisation technology.

The software giant said that the new relationships are part of its IP Ventures programme, which tries to match technologies from its research labs with companies around the globe that can incorporate them into their own products.

"Working with governments and venture capitalists to get our innovation portfolio in the hands of entrepreneurs who can commercialise it is a win for all parties," said Courtois.