Based on the existence of this program, we did a round of friends-and-family fundraising and developed a business plan. We built a prototype in Azure. Microsoft reps were responsive and helpful. Things were looking good.

Then, unceremoniously and with about 48 hours of notice (much of which was the weekend), MS closed the program. Despite having submitted a request for the next funding increment before the program closed, they are declining to offer any more credit (although they are allowing us to use credit previously granted).

To be clear: it's their money and their program. I'm not disputing that they are totally within their rights to make this change. But the timing and abrupt nature have left us, and I suspect more than a few others, in the lurch. As intended by their program, our prototype product is highly Azure-centric, and it will be challenging to find a path forward.

This is simply a word of caution: I would be wary of agreements with Microsoft.