Digimarc Corporation, a provider of digital watermarking solutions, is using the Windows Azure platform to deliver its innovative services on a global scale. By integrating its Digimarc Discover app with Windows Azure, the company can quickly deliver media content to users worldwide. Running on mobile devices, the app detects digital watermarks embedded in print media and returns relevant information to the reader. With Windows Azure, Digimarc can quickly develop and deliver new solutions that help users connect the things they see in their daily lives with the vast array of information available online.

Emotive, a provider of software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions, realized that people were using mobile devices more often than conventional desktops to interact with business applications. To help companies develop and deploy mobile apps more easily, Emotive created an SaaS platform that runs in the cloud on Windows Azure. By taking advantage of Emotive and Windows Azure, businesses can create cloud-based apps that integrate with on-premises data centers and run on multiple mobile devices. As a result, employees can access business applications and data from virtually any location worldwide, which helps them save time and stay productive. Emotive benefits as well—the company can focus on designing and enhancing its own solutions instead of managing IT infrastructure.

Skyline Technologies, a provider of IT solutions and services, teamed with Appleton Group to create clearTREND, an investment research tool based on the Windows Azure platform. The company wanted to deliver clearTREND, which provides real-time data on stock market trends, to users in more than 37 countries quickly and efficiently. The solution includes a Windows 8 app that can be downloaded and installed from the Windows Azure Marketplace, giving Skyline the potential to attract millions of subscribers. And by using Windows Azure, the company can easily handle an influx of users, as well as an increase in the number of securities it tracks. With Windows 8 and Windows Azure, the company can deliver solutions that help people worldwide improve their financial security.

Singapore firm SATS, a leading provider of gateway services and food solutions, wanted to move its mission-critical SAP ERP environment to a more cost-effective and easily scalable environment. The company implemented a solution based on a Microsoft platform that includes Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 Enterprise. As a result, the company cut operating costs by approximately 20 percent while increasing scalability about 30 percent. SATS can now expand its enterprise resource planning (ERP) capabilities more easily and affordably, provide remote real-time access to line-of-business software and cloud-based office programs, and streamline its IT environment and business processes.

Inspired by a family who understood the challenges of finding pediatric services, blueballoon Health Services takes a unique approach to healthcare delivery. “Our business model involves running multiple centers in multiple communities,” says CEO and co-founder Stephen MacEwen. “We want to be in our families’ communities, rather than having them travel long distances.” Thanks to the comprehensive package of cloud-based software that comes with Office 365, blueballoon’s therapists can work nearly anywhere. The company chose Office 365 over Google Apps for its easy-to-manage access to email, calendar sharing, chat, and other collaboration tools. Now, therapists can quickly share information and expert advice with each other. And it’s all simple enough that no IT support is needed for remote workers. MacEwen says that today, Office 365 is core to the way blueballoon works.

As members of a newly-established company, employees at Element Shipmanagement needed to have access to their email, calendar, and contacts across multiple devices without spending time, effort, and budget on building and maintaining a local IT infrastructure. By implementing a cloud-based solution using Exchange Online, the company was able to meet its business needs on time and within budget.

V8 Supercars is an international motorsport, media and entertainment company based in Australia. It employs 70 full-time staff with a network of approximately 1600 contractors and volunteers to manage race teams, events and broadcasts to more than 130 countries and online. V8 Supercars had outgrown its current IT infrastructure and wanted a cost-effective and flexible platform to support its expansion plans. With a highly mobile team setting up, delivering and broadcasting race events all over the world, it was critical to provide fast, efficient access to email and company files from virtually any location. V8 Supercars moved to Microsoft Office 365, giving everyone in the business stable, reliable access to their files, email and modern collaboration tools when they’re working in their Gold Coast headquarters, Sydney office or from various trackside locations in Australia and the world.

When Standards New Zealand wanted a single finance and logistics system to replace an aging platform with a host of home-grown ‘bolt ons’, it turned to Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009. Its existing system was functional and, despite being unsupported, wasn’t actually broken. To demonstrate real value the replacement technology had to deliver new and enhanced functionality and an ability to ‘mop up’ all the legacy satellite applications. Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 has given the organization a single source for data and information, as well as reducing costs, and improving productivity and efficiency.

Hilti Corporation provides innovative technology solutions to the construction industry; however, it needed the latest technology to manage its own projects in an efficient and scalable way. It worked with Campana & Schott to conduct two pilot programs featuring Microsoft Project Online, a cloud service for project portfolio management and everyday work. The company benefits from improved agility and collaboration in project management, which helps to reduce IT workload, decrease costs, and increase productivity.

This US management consulting firm works with customers to establish and benefit from management best practices. To help its 3,000 employees around the world share their experiences and determine the best solutions to customer problems, the firm is upgrading to Microsoft SharePoint Server 2013. With it, the company can reduce the time spent finding quality information, better address customer needs, and demonstrate technology leadership.