.Net is an excellent platform for startups due to its speed, flexibility, and low costs. The document outlines four steps for launching a startup using .Net: 1) Sign up for Microsoft's BizSpark program to get free software, 2) Design mockups using Balsamiq Mockups, 3) Publish a marketing website using cheap options like 99designs and Discount ASP, and 4) Build a minimum viable product using ASP.Net MVC and cloud hosting from Rackspace. The document also discusses the active startup community and resources in Boulder and Denver.

1. .Netas an Awesome Startup Platform Rudy Lacovara

2. A History of Startup Platforms 1998 - Web 1.0 A large percentage of startups are built on ASP 2008 – Web 2.0 Most startups are built on Ruby/Rails or PHP. ASP.Net is ignored as a startup platform.

3. What is a Startup? “A regular company executes on a known business model. A startup is a company searching for their business model.” - Unknown (but I’m sure I stole it from someone) “Are you ready to jump off a tall building and build your parachute on the way down? Welcome to Startup Lounge” - Startup Lounge Podcast

4. What I need in a Startup Architecture Speed If I’m heading toward the ground I want to build that parachute as fast as possible. Flexibility I assume that I’m going to make mistakes. Making big changes must be fast and easy.

5. Four Steps to Launching a Startup Signup for BizSpark Design and Mockup Publish a Marketing Website Build your Minimum Viable Product

6. 1. Signup for BizSpark Go to http://www.microsoft.com/bizspark/and Microsoft will give you every software product they make for FREE for 3 years if your company meet these requirements: You are developing software You are less than 3 years old You have less than $1,000,000 annual revenue You have some type of website up (even 1 page) You can get someone like these guys to nominate you. Joe Shirey, Microsoft Architecture Evangelist http://www.joeshirey.com/ Dave Drach, Managing Director, Microsoft Emerging Business Team http://www.bizspark.com/Blogs/david_drach/default.aspx

7. 2. Design and Mockup Balsamiq Mockups Demo Balsamiq is the Goldilocks UI mockup tool. It gives you the “just right” level of functionality. http://balsamiq.com/

8. 3. Publish a Marketing Site Cheap but good looking website design 99 designs ($400 - $1000) http://99designs.com/ Cheap but solid hosting Discount ASP.Net ($20/month for web and DB) http://discountasp.net/

9. 4. Build Your Minimum Viable Product HireFlo Architecture Demo Asp.Net MVC = good No Azure!! No Entity Framework? Embrace both HTML and SQL Customer data requires better hosting: ($118 - $250/month for cloud server) http://www.rackspace.com/cloud/

10. We are in a Startup Renaissance!!(and Boulder / Denver is a hot spot) newtechMeetup– About 4 tech startups present in Denver and Boulder every month. The Denver meetup meets on Auraria Campus. The Boulder meetup has free beer! http://www.bdnewtech.com/ TechStars– One of the first Y Combinator style accelerator programs for early stage startups. http://www.techstars.org/ Open Angel Forum – Angel Investors meet in Boulder about twice a year to hear pitches from early stage startups and possibly fund them. http://openangelforum.com/ StartupDigest– Weekly email digest by Chris McCann that tracks all of the tech startup related events in the Boulder / Denver area. http://startupdigest.com/ Lean Startup – Best practices for launching a startup by Eric Reis. Must see video here:http://ecorner.stanford.edu/authorMaterialInfo.html?mid=2329 Feld Thoughts – Amazing blog by Brad Feld, Boulder resident and vocal venture capitalist.http://www.feld.com/wp/