Microsoft set to open another Technology Center, this time close to home in Bellevue, WA

Microsoft is opening today a new Technology Center in Bellevue, WA (via The Seattle Times). Earlier this year, the company also opened a similar are in Houston, Texas, and with this new location the Redmond giant now has more than 40 MTCs around the globe. For those unfamiliar, Microsoft Technology Centers (not to be confused with Microsoft Innovation Centers) are dedicated areas where business customers can learn about the company’s growing portfolio of enterprise solutions.

The new 18,000-square-foot space located near the Lincoln Square tower will allow customers to have a hands-on experience with the company’s enterprise offerings. A dedicated server room with five racks of servers will be available for customers looking for live demos of Microsoft’s cloud products, and the Technology Center also features a 100-person conference room. Microsoft Technology Centers are currently not open to everyone (business and government customers must take an appointment with Microsoft’s sales team), but people living in the Seattle area will still be able to attend workshops and other public events.

While Microsoft previously used to invite business customers to its Redmond campus, Mark Perry, Director of the Bellevue MTC told the Seattle Times that the new facility which houses a team 10 technologists and salespeople will provide a better experience to business customers. “Our sales teams are great at telling customers our products features and capabilities, but we actually show it here,” he explained. Additionally, all MTCs try to focus on the needs of local industry and the Bellevue center
will be particularly mindful about the needs of customers in retail, manufacturing and healthcare. According to Perry, the live demonstrations will focus on the customers’ needs “so they actually leave here with a plan to go do it,” he added. You can get more information on the new Microsoft Technology Center over here.