Apprau Joins Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub - Accelerating Innovation in K-12 Education

We’re thrilled to announce that Apprau has been accepted into the Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub, a global program designed to support high-potential startups with access to cutting-edge technology, expert guidance, and the resources needed to scale.

This milestone marks a significant step forward in our vision to empower school communities to work smarter, connect better, and achieve more. At Apprau, we’re building an intelligent, user-centric School Management solution tailored to the needs of Australian independent schools. Our cloud-based platform, developed on Microsoft Power Platform, Dynamics 365, and Azure, supports principals, teachers, students, parents, and staff through seamless digital workflows, AI-driven insights, and intuitive user experiences.

Acceptance into the Founders Hub is more than a badge, it’s a catalyst. The program provides Apprau with:

• Up to USD $150,000 in Azure credits to explore, develop, and test innovative, cost-effective, and high-performance solutions using Azure services, including cutting-edge capabilities like Azure AI Foundry.
• Access to Enterprise Software such as GitHub Enterprise, Microsoft 365, and productivity tools to streamline our development lifecycle.
• 1:1 mentorship and technical guidance from Microsoft engineers and business experts.
• Early previews and integration opportunities with emerging AI services, including Azure OpenAI and Microsoft Copilot stack.
• A global network of founders, advisors, and Microsoft partners to help accelerate go-to-market and product validation.

We’re particularly excited about the opportunities this creates in the AI space. As we wrote in our inaugural blog post, schools are facing a critical inflection point: legacy systems and piecemeal solutions are no longer enough. The future of school operations will be shaped by intelligent automation, unified platforms, and real-time, actionable insights. Through the Founders Hub, we’ll gain faster access to the tools and partnerships necessary to bring these innovations to life.

Already, Apprau is reshaping the digital experience for schools. As a company born in the AI-era, with Microsoft’s backing, we’re deepening the AI capabilities of our School Management solution. Stay tuned for upcoming announcements.

Being part of this program also validates our product vision and reinforces the trust our clients have placed in us. We are proud to be part of a select group of founders building purpose-driven solutions that align with Microsoft’s mission to empower every person and organization on the planet to achieve more.

To our school partners, early adopters, and supporters: thank you. Your feedback and collaboration have provided a strong foundation for our journey. As we enter this new chapter, we’re more committed than ever to delivering technology that makes a real difference, in classrooms, staffrooms, and homes.

Stay tuned for updates as we continue to innovate, expand our team, and bring our next-generation School Management solutions to more school communities across Australia and beyond.