Rejected by Biz Spark because they said I'm not an ISV

I have seen quite a few threads on being rejected by Biz Spark, but all seemed to be resolved by resubmitting the application with the needed undocumented information. To note, the undocumented information is usually that your email domain doesn't match your site name, or you don't have any specific info on the project. I'm at the point where I've done all of that, and described the entire project in the 2500 char limit (giving away my whole idea, which is what makes this project unique), yet I'm at the same spot - rejection with the generic letter for the 4th time. There is no info for the generic letter - only that you do not meet the requirements, and to resubmit the application if you feel that you do meet them.

About my business, I started this project for my Master's project last year using DreamSpark. It gained huge market interest, but the master's project is only a prototype. There is much work needed to be done, but I cannot afford to purchase MSDN licenses at this point, since there is no business revenue, and it's in a prototype state. So I started the official LLC in August, and am doing all development locally. The business is an automotive communication means dealing with the a smart-phone app, web UI, web API, and SQL Server database. I gave my whole schema away to them because after each rejection, I continue to give more and more info.

I did email Biz Spark with a nice, polite email asking if they could give me more information. Their reply included "Your startup does not appear to be an ISV. Startups cannot be in the business of providing services to others such as consulting, hosting, web agency, system integration or outsourced development as a part of the BizSpark Program."

I politely responded "Thank you" and resubmitted the application making sure to emphasize that my company has nothing to do with any of the items she mentioned. That is also why I gave the business plan and schema - to prove I created the MRD, SRS, design docs, etc myself, and am doing all the development on my own - but need to hire staff because the amount of work is overwhelming.

It's getting so frustrating because I want to work with Microsoft, but they seem to not want to have anything to do with me. I'm even a senior .NET engineer for one of the largest Microsoft partners for my day job.

The main purpose of writing this is to see if anyone else had gone through this scenario, or if I'm simply missing something obvious. Thanks in advance for any advice.

Most likely there was a valid reason Microsoft rejected your BizSpark application. We don't know what you submitted and even if we did, we can't read Microsoft's mind.

So: re-read Biz Sparks rules, see which ones your application might be breaking.

Reach out to Microsoft, maybe they'll explain why the application was rejected.

But all you can get from anyone else is just mostly useless speculation.

As a side note: you provided a lot of irrelevant information but not the one that actually matters (i.e. what exactly Microsoft said in rejection).

It also seems to me like you've submitted irrelevant information to Microsoft (e.g. I doubt they want detailed info on your project).

I'm in BizSpark, and honestly got approved first time around.

Few points,

Make sure you have an application, BizSpark isn't really for content driven sites, you need to emphasize this on the application. Although Microsoft does have a website based program called website spark Second, make sure the application looks professional, don't get too technical, describe more of your overall goal. For example, developing an application to allow businesses to operate more efficiently, etc

Third, and pretty obvious, make sure all docs, etc are included. Fill out ALL the fields and "cross the Ts, and dot the i".

Worst comes to worst, simply send them a NICE email asking whether there was anything specific you may have missed in the application that led to denial