Microsoft for Startups – "We couldn't verify your startup" – requesting manual review (software/EdTech startup misclassified)

Nicoleta Jambor 0 Reputation points
2026-07-09T18:25:13.8266667+00:00

Hello,

My Microsoft for Startups verification returned "We couldn't verify your startup." Only the initial $1,000 is unlocked ($1,000 of $150,000), and the new Azure Portal experience gives no option to re-submit documents or re-verify. I'm requesting a manual review.

I believe the automated check misclassified my company. My registered legal entity is a Romanian SRL whose name includes "Real Estate," but the startup applying to the program is a software product (SaaS / EdTech) that the company owns and operates:

  • Product: FastLearn – an AI-powered exam preparation platform for Romanian students (National Evaluation / EN VIII and Bacalaureat)
  • Product URL: https://fastlearn.ro (live, with real users)
  • What it does: automated AI grading of open-ended answers, Vision-based correction of handwritten math, student/parent/teacher dashboards, PDF reports
  • Legal entity: Home Brokers Real Estate SRL (Romania) – authorized for software/IT activity
  • Founder: Nicoleta Jambor – https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicoleta-jambor-15780a279
  • Account email: ******@fastlearn.ro
  • Subscription ID: 885dce05-3153-46af-a9b7-1bc02911a50b

I signed up via LinkedIn, and my profile previously emphasized hospitality/real estate; it now clearly reflects FastLearn as a software/EdTech startup. FastLearn is a genuine, self-owned software product, not a services or consulting business.

Could you please escalate this for a manual review and let me know which documents to provide (company registration / ONRC certificate, domain ownership proof for fastlearn.ro, product screenshots)? Thank you.

Azure | Azure Startups
Azure | Azure Startups

Startups: Companies that are in their initial stages of business and typically developing a business model and seeking financing.

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  1. AI answer

    2026-07-09T18:25:57.13+00:00

    To request a manual review and resolve the "We couldn't verify your startup" result, use Microsoft for Startups program support and Azure support rather than the generic portal message.

    1. Submit a Microsoft for Startups program support request
      • Sign in to the Azure Portal and navigate to the Microsoft for Startups area.
      • Use the Program support button (or the Microsoft for Startups portal help/support entry point) to open a ticket specifically with Microsoft for Startups Program Support.
      • In the ticket, clearly state that the startup is a SaaS/EdTech product and that the legal entity name includes "Real Estate" but is authorized for software/IT activity.
      • Include:
        • Legal entity name and country
        • Subscription ID
        • Product name and brief description
        • Explanation that the product is a self-owned software product, not a services/consulting business
        • Request for manual business/domain verification review and correction of any misclassification.
    2. Provide verification and ownership documents
      • Based on typical verification scenarios, prepare and attach:
        • Company registration / ONRC certificate showing the legal entity and permitted activities
        • Domain ownership proof for the product domain (for example, registrar confirmation or domain registry records) that match the startup profile details
        • Product screenshots or public pages demonstrating the SaaS/EdTech nature of FastLearn
      • Ensure that:
        • Business name and address in all documents exactly match what appears in the Microsoft for Startups/Founders Hub profile
        • The domain listed in the profile matches the domain in the ownership proof.
    3. Open an Azure support request if needed
      • In the Azure Portal, select the "?" icon in the top-right corner.
      • Choose "Help + support" → "Create a support request".
      • Use a billing/subscription category related to Startup Credits verification.
      • Attach the same documents and explicitly request escalation to the startup verification team.
    4. Use the dedicated Microsoft for Startups portal support
      • Sign in to the Microsoft for Startups portal at https://portal.startups.microsoft.com/login.
      • Use the Support or Program support option to submit a ticket so that startup program metadata is attached automatically.

    These steps route the case to Microsoft for Startups Program Support, whose scope includes business/domain verification issues, Azure sponsorship and credits, and correcting owner/entitlement details. They can coordinate manual review and, if eligibility is confirmed, help unlock the appropriate credit tier.

    References:

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