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Microsoft is helping startups reimagine what’s possible in the age of intelligent automation. Through initiatives like the AI Foundry platform and the Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub, it is equipping founders with the tools, resources, and global network needed to build and scale in the emerging agentic AI era. By combining OpenAI foundation models with Microsoft’s advanced AI tooling and secure cloud infrastructure, startups can now design autonomous digital agents capable of handling complex workflows across customer service, IT operations, and finance—powered by enterprise-grade security, governance, and compliance. At TechSparks 2025, Salim Naim, Director of AI and Microsoft Global Black Belt for Asia, will lead a masterclass titled ‘Building for the Agentic Future: How Startups Can Win with Enterprise-Ready AI’. This session unpacks how startups can harness these capabilities to build enterprise-ready agentic AI solutions. Attendees can learn how founders move from automation to autonomy, designing AI agents that act, learn, and scale securely within real-world enterprise environments. Why this session matters: Enterprise shift: From intelligent automation to agentic businesses Organizations have relied on automation to streamline workflows for a long time. However, a change is sweeping across the enterprise landscape in the form of agentic AI. These autonomous agents are capable of making decisions, interacting with data and acting independently across business environments, representing a shift from insight to execution. At TechSparks 2025, Naim’s session will go beyond theory to unpack how startups can build enterprise-ready agentic AI—solutions designed not just to demonstrate intelligence, but to operate securely, efficiently, and at scale within real-world enterprise environments. Enterprise-ready agentic ai Salim will explore how startups can design agentic AI systems that meet the complex needs of enterprises, emphasizing the innovations Microsoft is driving in this space. He will spotlight the advantages of building on Microsoft Azure and Foundry, which offer startups a unique pathway to reach enterprise customers—setting them apart from competitors using other hyperscalers. The session will draw the line between the growth of the agentic web, and the enterprise realities (integration, governance, compliance, and security) that many startups will face. The Microsoft and Foundry advantage With awareness of Microsoft Foundry still emerging in India, Naim will demystify what Foundry is, why it matters, and how it simplifies building and operationalizing agentic solutions. In the course of the session, he will demonstrate how Microsoft is a leader in the agentic web narrative, highlighting how its tools and frameworks uniquely empower startups to access enterprise markets and scale globally with confidence. Real-world examples and use cases Attendees can look forward to real-world stories from digital-native startups that have successfully built on Microsoft’s AI stack and expanded into enterprise markets. Naim will also showcase large-scale agents on Foundry—to illustrate how agentic AI performs, when pushed to its operational limits in both B2B and B2C environments. B2C and B2B relevance The session will address both consumer-facing and enterprise founders, exploring how agentic AI can power diverse use cases—from agents negotiating on behalf of users in marketplaces like Flipkart, to autonomous systems managing workflows within enterprise environments. Salim will also touch on Microsoft Research’s perspective on the future of the agentic web, including the emerging protocols, entitlements, and embodiments that will shape its evolution across industries. Building conversations with leaders Designed as an interactive masterclass, this session will include Q&A segments and open discussions with founders and CTOs. The content will be tailored to resonate with both early-stage and growth-stage startups, combining deep technical insight with relatable startup stories to make the session practical, tangible, and actionable. About the speaker Naim is the Director of AI for Microsoft in Asia, leading a team of AI and ML specialists helping enterprises transform through emerging technologies and advanced data science. An 18-year Microsoft veteran, he has held leadership roles across Australia, the Middle East, and Europe, driving digital innovation across industries including financial services, government, and education. A guest lecturer at Monash University’s Data Science programs, he combines two decades of global experience with deep expertise in enterprise AI strategy, architecture, and responsible innovation. As the agentic AI era unfolds, startups that can combine innovation with enterprise readiness will lead the next wave of intelligent transformation. At TechSparks 2025, Salim Naim will unpack how Microsoft’s advances in agentic AI and Foundry are enabling startups to scale faster, reach enterprise customers, and build for long-term impact. Register now
