VMware asks SMEs to think big

VMware is launching a competition in which SMEs must explain in no more than 200 words how they use VMware technology to move beyond cost savings and help transform their business.

VMware is launching a competition across the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region giving small and midsize businesses (SMBs) the opportunity to ‚Think Big’ for their business. Entrants must explain in no more than 200 words how they would use VMware virtualization and cloud technology to move beyond cost savings and help transform their business.

The ‚Thinking Big for your Business’ competition will award one SMB company a prize of US$20,000 worth of VMware software and services, for the best proposal using VMware solutions to simplify their IT or move toward IT as a Service with a transformational effect on the business. For instance, this could be associated with opening a new branch office to respond to market needs, launching new products and services or helping employees work more flexibly and efficiently.

The latest research conducted by Canalys has revealed that SMBs are planning to accelerate their adoption of virtualization with twice as many companies heavily virtualized by 2014. Although cost cutting is a primary driver for virtualization adoption, SMBs are seeing the broader business benefits of virtualized environments, enabling businesses to be more agile.

‚Our SMB customers are telling us that they are pulled in many directions especially in this tough operating environment,‚ said Marc Groetelaars, director partner organisation in NEMEA. ‚However, what we’ve seen is those companies that have aligned IT to the business are reaping the benefits. We’re launching this competition to encourage more SMBs to think creatively about how IT can transform their business and help turn one organisation’s vision into reality.‚

How to enter:

– To enter the competition businesses must submit no more than 200 words of text via the Thinking Big for your Business website by 9th July 2012

– Entrants should outline a strong business case for using VMware solutions, demonstrate creativity andinnovative use of VMware technology in the entry, explaining what products the business would like to use. Entrants also need to explain how they would measure the transformation or business results as a consequence of winning the prize

– Companies eligible to enter the competition must have less than 1,000 employees and be registered in one of the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Dubai, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Republic of Ireland, Spain, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey or the United Kingdom

– All entries will be judged and shortlisted by an experienced panel assembled by VMware.

– The winning entry will be selected from the shortlisted candidates by Alistair Edwards, principal analyst, Canalys, along with the VMware panel.

VMware is working with its SMB channel partners to spread the word and promote thecompetition to its customers. A shortlist of 10 entries will be drawn up by the panel resulting in one winner being selected and announced at VMworld 2012 Europe in Barcelona.

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