Inside POCIT’s Founder Dinner With Microsoft For Startups
Sponsored by Microsoft for Startups
On October 28, POCIT hosted Breaking Bread, an intimate dinner in Houston, Texas, designed to bring together early-stage founders for an evening of conversation, connection, and community.
The dinner gathered seed-stage and Series A founders alongside a select group of venture capitalists, including Nasir Qadree (Founder & Managing Partner, Zeal Capital Partners) and Richard Odior (Head of Pre-Seed Investments, Zeal Capital Partners).
Breaking Bread with Founders
The gathering created a rare, intentional space for founders to slow down, exchange lessons, and build genuine relationships. Hosted with Microsoft for Startups and Braze, the dinner underscored our mission to give underrepresented founders the networks, tools, and capital that drive real momentum.
“Founders deserve access to the networks, tools, and opportunities that accelerate real progress. Our goal is to meet them where they are and provide the support they need to scale,” says Lora Anis-Hanna, Global Startups Business Development Manager at Microsoft. “Working with POCIT helps create spaces where underrepresented founders can connect, share openly, and build meaningful relationships that fuel their next stage of growth.”
Connecting Startups With Resources and Support
Microsoft for Startups offers startups at every stage a suite of practical tools, including Microsoft Azure credits, AI infrastructure, GitHub Enterprise, Microsoft 365, and LinkedIn discounts. The program also connects founders directly with Azure engineers and 1:1 advisory services for hands-on support.
Perhaps just as valuable is the community that forms around the program. Microsoft for Startups helps startups meet peers, potential partners, and customers across Microsoft’s global ecosystem, creating visibility and untold opportunities.
One such startup is Build-A-Way. CEO Ashton Hilliard saw the problem early, growing up as his father struggled with manual invoice workflows while running a small business in the music gig world. Later, Joshua Bartholomew, Chief Product Officer, experienced similar frustrations as a homeowner waiting on quotes and invoices from home service contractors. Through customer discovery, the cofounders learned that roughly 5 million home service businesses lose an estimated $36,000 each year from manual invoice workflows. Build-A-Way addresses this with an industry-specific CRM that helps plumbing, HVAC, and electrical businesses automate invoicing and follow-ups using voice.
After attending Breaking Bread, Ashton and Joshua applied to Microsoft for Startups through their strategic nomination path. They are now taking Build-A-Way to the next level.
Nominate Your Startup for Microsoft for Startups
The Breaking Bread dinner was a powerful reminder that founders thrive when they are connected, supported, and equipped with the right tools. If you’re a startup founder looking for technical support, community, and the tools to scale your company, the Microsoft for Startups program is an opportunity worth exploring.
Nominate your startup for Microsoft for Startups here. Use code MFS when applying to flag your participation through POCIT.
Stay tuned for more founder-focused events from POCIT, where community meets opportunity.
