On Technology for startups. Idea vs tech!

Last night a friend messaged over IM that Microsoft had selected him for some entrepreneurship sponsorship. He wanted my thoughts on a lot of freebies that came with the package. Excited as hell I replied 'ok. kinda busy tho'. Don't want him to know how excited we are, do we? :)

So I headed over to the page... Microsoft Startup Zone.

He was shouting 'its free man! all you need to do is pay $100 at the end of 3 years'. Eh? No free lunch. The 'What do I get?' page has the following:

• All the software included in the Microsoft® Visual Studio® Team System Team Suite (VSTS) with MSDN® Premium subscription
• Expression® Studio Version 2
• VSTS Team Foundation Server (standard edition)
• Production use rights to host a “software as a service” solution (developed during participation in the BizSpark Program, on any platform) over the Internet, with regard to the lastest versions of Microsoft products including:
• Microsoft Windows Server® (all editions up to and including Enterprise)
• Microsoft SQL Server® (all editions)
• Microsoft Office SharePoint® Portal Server
• Microsoft System Center
• Microsoft BizTalk® Server
• Microsoft Dynamics® CRM (coming soon)
• In addition to the core program offering, BizSpark startups will be eligible for other Microsoft offerings, such as:
• Microsoft Azure™ Services Platform

Not bad I thought... as a marketing plan of course. They pull you into their sofwares for free till you build up a considerable switching cost! Smart.
(But Azure would be fun to try out though.)

Anyway what got me thinking was not Microsoft. Rather this: he's got a business idea quite faraway from IT services. Nevertheless IT can help. Why would you need such a suite?

His explanantion 'I need to develop websites and I need a CRM system'. I can't disagree more, I believe that the Relationshiop should come before the Management part.

Bottom line: Build customer relationships, then see what technology can be useful. Don't retro fit your business idea into technology. Technology is dumb and will not get you money. Ideas will.