The Microsoft Research Special Projects group operates on the boundary between engineering and research to drive breakthrough innovation. We are a research group with world-class specialists solving highly uncertain, complex problems. We build technologies to benefit society, including tools for digital safety, plurality, and evidence-based policy.
Our criteria for problem selection reflect an intentional focus on the most critical problems where we can make a meaningful impact for society, industry, and the planet:
A version of the problem exists in the world today.
The problem has or will soon cross a critical boundary.
Every person on the planet is a potential stakeholder.
Microsoft can uniquely contribute added value.
The Special Projects solution approach is one of specialized research that requires novel combinations of domain expertise and technological capability to succeed. It involves working beyond existing disciplines, organizations, and other boundaries in a participatory approach to transforming real-world practice:
- Convene: We co-develop and participate in internal and external collaborations for solving complex sociotechnical problems.
- Learn: We advance new understandings through leading-edge scientific research and knowledge sharing.
- Build: We develop technological tools and artefacts for empowering organizations, communities, and individuals.
- Amplify: We deploy technologies that create considered and measurable impact for society.
Our teams naturally cross functional disciplines including research, engineering, and technical program management. This leads to cultures and processes that draw on diverse skills and experiences while identifying, developing, and delivering projects that reflect our common values, ambition, and commitment to disruptive innovation.
Special Projects has a recognized track record of delivering such disruptive innovations, which has included creating new businesses (Azure for Operators), transitioning teams and services (Watch For, OneFuzz), and publicly highlighting Microsoft’s commitment to environmental sustainability (Project Natick) and societal resilience (SMART Health Cards).
The evolution of research
We continuously review our projects to ensure we are oriented towards impact, using iterative work cycles based on rapid prototyping to enable rapid pivots in project direction. Impact is delivered through independent activity (e.g., build and ship major full-stack initiatives and open-source releases), joint exploration with Microsoft product teams (e.g., tech transfers, code handoffs, embedded engineers, collaborative integration, service level agreement releases), and publications (e.g., academic papers, press releases, patents). We select delivery models based on business need, opportunity, and our vision of a better future.
Active projects
- Project Human Rights Technology
- Project Project Eclipse
- Open-Source ElectionGuard
- Project Project Freta
- Project Holoportation™
- PROJECT Project GraphRAG
- PROJECT 3D Telemedicine
- Project Post-quantum Cryptography
Related groups
Recent technology transfers
In addition to the active groups and teams that we collaborate with in Microsoft Research, we want to acknowledge the contributions of groups that have transitioned from research to making a direct impact on real world solutions in Microsoft product groups, including: