Microsoft has a change of heart, re-invites Okta to Ignite

Two days ago we reported on the startup Okta being disinvited from Microsoft’s Ignite conference. Okta was planning to be a sponsor of the conference just as it had been in years’ past, and reportedly had already cut the check to Microsoft. But two days ago the story broke that Okta was disinvited by Microsoft as a sponsor due to broad competition between the two companies.

Okta offers enterprise solutions to help employees manage passwords and for companies to manage mobile devices. These solutions do compete in the same space as some Microsoft’s enterprise mobility management services. But being kicked out of the conference is a big deal as the only other two companies not allowed are Amazon and Google.

Now, according to a report from Business Insider, Microsoft has once again extended an invite to Okta to sponsor the next Ignite tech conference. A Microsoft spokesperson reached out to Business Insider, after their original story broke, saying:

We have a lot of criteria we consider when reviewing sponsorships. We revisited the historical criteria and determined that Okta qualified for sponsorship opportunities. We’ve reached out to Okta and look forward to seeing them at Ignite.

Okta also issued a reply to Business Insider saying they haven’t committed, but confirmed Microsoft “reached out to open the dialogue.” Microsoft Ignite kicks off this fall on September 26th in Atlanta and runs through the 30th.