Google Cloud Launches Web3 Startup Program

Google Cloud has introduced an initiative specifically designed for Web3 startups, leveraging strategic partnerships with Alchemy, Aptos, Base, Celo, Flow, Hedera, Nansen, Near, Polygon, Solana, and Thirdweb.

The Web3 Startup Program is aimed at forming a wider initiative from the Alphabet subsidiary to deliver technical tools and cloud services to firms looking to scale. The program thus welcomes Series A-stage companies building blockchain-based protocols and tech stacks.

“Our goal is to enable Web3 builders with reliable, scalable, and sustainable infrastructure on which to build their applications. We want to make Google Cloud the first choice for every Web3 startup and developer to help launch and scale their business,” shares James Tromans, Head of Web3 Engineering at Google Cloud.

The program will primarily feature credits which startups may receive (up to $2,000 in Google Cloud credits, valid for two years), as well as added benefits in terms of access to major blockchain events such as Paris Blockchain Week, Consensus, and TOKEN2049 Singapore. Google has also announced its participation with the latter event.

For startups who have already obtained seed funding, up to $200,000 worth of cloud credits (for both Google Cloud and Firebase) for over two years is available, with an additional $12,000 in Google Cloud Enhanced Support credits. Sdtartups will also be able to operate more seamlessly with a year worth of Google Workspace Business Plus access. Participating partners in the program who will offer $1 million each for startups in either fiat amounts or tokens include Aptos, Celo, Flow, HBAR Foundation, Near, and Solana Foundation.

Polygon Ventures, the venture capital arm of Polygon, will provide $3 million in funding for seeded firms, while Coinbase’ infrastructure arm, Base, will grant priority reviews for qualifying startups. Coinbase Ventures, on the other hand, will link participating startups to its listing teams, with support for networking with relevant venture capital firms. Alchemy will also be offering $10,000 in credits, alongside VIP support and gasless contract deployment through Thirdweb.

Web3 startups accepted into the program will be subject to certain requirements and restrictions. A “Start Tier” is available for pre-seed companies less than five years old, while a “Scale Tier” caters to those less than ten years old with verified funding up through Series A. Participants will have access to Google Cloud services, Web3 features, and partner offerings at significantly discounted prices.

Nansen CEO Alex Svanevik shared optimism on the prospects of Google Cloud helping out with scaling Web3, stating that:

“We [Nansen] are able to provide real-time intelligence to level the crypto playing field.”

Despite entering a competitive field of Web3 infrastructure providers, such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft’s Azure, and Chainstack, Google Cloud aims to become the first choice for Web3 startups and developers. Google Cloud has been active in Web3 product development for several years. It previously launched the Blockchain Node Engine, a fully managed node-hosting service, and assembled a dedicated Web3 team of product managers and software engineers in 2022 to bring specialized products to the market for the Web3 community.

Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.