Google Cloud is looking to provide a major boost for Web3 builders with the expansion of its early-stage support program. The “Google for Startups Cloud Program” initiative, which provides support for startups and emerging projects, will now be available to projects in the blockchain industry. According to an announcement on Tuesday, eligible projects from pre-seed to Series A, can access up to $200,000 in Google Cloud credits and other technical support.
In an emailed statement to CoinDesk, James Tromans, Head of Web3 engineering at Google Cloud said “We are committed supporting the growth of the Web3 ecosystem, and the expansion of the Google for Startups Cloud Program to the Web3 community reinforces our goal of equipping blockchain developers with tools they need to succeed.”
The initiative, which will be supported by various partners including Polygon Ventures Ecosystem Fund and Google Cloud’s foundation partners Aptos, Celo, Flow, HBAR Foundation, Near and Solana Foundation, will provide projects with access to capital and early access to Google Cloud’s Web3 products. Projects could receive up to $3 million in investments from the Polygon Ventures Ecosystem Fund alone, as well as a $1 million grant from each of the foundation partners.
The move comes at a time when many central banks have been ramping up their efforts to integrate blockchain technology into their existing banking infrastructure. With the expansion of Google Cloud’s early-stage support program, more developers and Web3 founders will have access to resources that enable them to build on Celo’s platform without fear of creating technical debt that slows down the process.
The move also coincides with Google Cloud’s main competitor, Amazon Web Services (AWS), increasing its market share into the web3 industry. In January, layer 1 blockchain Ava Labs announced it had partnered with AWS to accelerate Web3 adoption, and in February AWS posted that it was looking to hire staff for its cloud services. With this major boost from Google Cloud, the Web3 industry looks set to experience massive growth in the coming months.
