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Cloud funding, explained with real numbers

AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud all fund part of your migration, modernization, and startup growth — through certified partners like Varcio Cloud. We break down exactly what's published publicly, what's negotiated deal-by-deal, and how to access it.

$0MGoogle RaMP's published cap
$0KAWS Activate Portfolio cap
$0KMicrosoft for Startups cap
0Programs compared, sourced

Figures verified July 2026 · sourced from 8 official provider pages, linked below

AWS Microsoft Azure Google Cloud7 programs compared · 8 official sources · every figure sourced
What's Actually Public

Public vs. negotiated: what you can rely on

Not every cloud funding number you'll read online is official. Google Cloud publishes its RaMP credit formula directly. AWS and Microsoft don't publish exact MAP or Azure Accelerate dollar figures — those are shared deal-by-deal through a certified partner. Startup credit programs from all three, by contrast, are fully published. Click any column below to sort.

Comparison of AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud funding programs showing whether exact figures are officially published
Note
AWS Migration Acceleration Program (MAP)Deal-SpecificStructure and phases are public; exact dollar/percentage figures are not.
AWS Well-Architected Framework Review CreditsDeal-SpecificExistence of the credit is public; the $5,000 figure is partner-reported, not published by AWS.
AWS Activate (startup credits)✓ PublishedTiered dollar amounts are published directly on aws.amazon.com/startups/credits.
Azure Accelerate (migration & modernization funding)Deal-SpecificProgram structure is public; per-assessment and per-deployment dollar amounts are not published by Microsoft.
Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub✓ PublishedThe $150,000 tiered structure is published directly on microsoft.com/en-us/startups.
Google Cloud RaMP✓ PublishedThe exact credit formula (25% of incremental spend, capped at 30% of Annual Recurring Revenue or $3M) is published on the Google Cloud Blog.
Google for Startups Cloud Program✓ PublishedYear 1 / Year 2 tiered percentages and dollar caps are published directly on cloud.google.com/startup/benefits.
Interactive Program Explorer

Every major cloud funding program

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7 of 7 programs shown

AWSDeal-Specific

AWS Migration Acceleration Program (MAP)

AWS's flagship migration funding program — cash or AWS Promotional Credits released across three phases: Assess, Mobilize, and Migrate & Modernize.

AWS does not publish exact percentages or dollar caps on its public MAP pages. Figures commonly reported by AWS partners and industry sources cite roughly 15–25% of first-year run-rate AWS spend, with partner funding capacity significantly increased in AWS's July 2024 MAP overhaul.

Delivered through an AWS Migration Competency Partner. MAP Lite is available from roughly $100,000 in Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR); standard MAP scales to migrations well into eight figures.

Source: aws.amazon.com/migration-acceleration-program
AWSDeal-Specific

AWS Well-Architected Framework Review Credits

AWS credits awarded after a certified partner runs a Well-Architected Framework Review of your environment and you remediate the risk issues it identifies.

Commonly reported at $5,000 in AWS credits, contingent on remediating at least 45% of identified High-Risk Issues (HRIs). This figure is not published on AWS's public program pages.

Requires a review conducted by an AWS Well-Architected Partner, with remediation tracked as milestones in the AWS Well-Architected Tool.

Source: aws.amazon.com/partners/programs/well-architected
AWS✓ Published

AWS Activate

AWS's startup credit program, tiered by funding stage and accelerator/VC backing.

Founders (self-funded): up to $5,000. Portfolio (pre-Series B, backed by a participating accelerator, VC, or angel): up to $200,000. Invitation-only credits for qualifying AI startups scaling past Portfolio: $200,000+.

Founded within the last 10 years, with an AWS account on a paid tier. Portfolio tier requires an Organization ID from a participating accelerator, VC firm, or angel investor.

Source: aws.amazon.com/startups/credits
Microsoft AzureDeal-Specific

Azure Accelerate (formerly Migrate & Modernize + Innovate)

Microsoft's unified, partner-led program for migration, modernization, and AI adoption funding, assessments, and tooling.

Microsoft does not publish exact figures on its public Azure Accelerate pages. Amounts commonly reported by Microsoft partners cite up to $5,000 per assessment, $15,000–$100,000 per deployment, and roughly 15% extra when bundling Microsoft Defender for Cloud into infrastructure/database migrations.

Delivered through Azure specialized partners and qualified ISVs. Larger enterprise engagements can also draw on Existing Customer Investment Funds (ECIF), reported to follow roughly a 10:1 consumption-to-funding ratio.

Source: azure.microsoft.com/en-us/solutions/azure-accelerate
Microsoft Azure✓ Published

Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub

A no-equity startup program bundling Azure credits with GitHub, Microsoft 365, and AI tooling access.

Up to $150,000 in Azure credits over 4 years, released in tiers: Ideate (approximately $1,000) → Build ($5,000–$25,000) → Grow ($25,000–$50,000) → Scale ($120,000–$150,000, typically requiring accelerator or investor backing).

Open to early-stage founders with no equity taken. Higher tiers require growth milestones or institutional backing.

Source: microsoft.com/en-us/startups
Google Cloud✓ Published

Google Cloud RaMP (Rapid Migration & Modernization Program)

Google's migration and modernization funding program — the only one of the three hyperscalers that publishes its exact credit formula.

General workloads: 25% of incremental eligible spend as Google Cloud service credits, capped at the lesser of 30% of Projected Annual Run Rate or $3M USD. Advanced workloads (SAP, Oracle, VMware, data analytics) qualify for enhanced rates. Separate Partner & Professional Services funds cover assessment and implementation support.

Each workload needs a minimum $60,000 USD Projected Annual Run Rate to qualify. RaMP agreements run over a 3-year period.

Source: cloud.google.com/solutions/cloud-migration-program
Google Cloud✓ Published

Google for Startups Cloud Program

Google Cloud's startup credit program, with a standard track and a higher AI-first track.

Standard track: 100% up to $100,000 in Year 1, plus 20% up to an additional $100,000 in Year 2 — up to $200,000 total. AI-first track: 100% up to $250,000 in Year 1, plus 20% up to an additional $100,000 in Year 2 — up to $350,000 total. Pre-funded/early-stage founders: up to $2,000 over one year.

Scale-tier eligibility requires recent equity funding from pre-seed through Series A by an institutional investor (or a recognized Web3 funding source).

Source: cloud.google.com/startup/benefits
Interactive Estimator

Estimate your funding

Pick your profile and provider to see what's realistically available — clearly marked as a published figure or a deal-specific estimate.

$60,000$5,000,000

This is a typical range where AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud all actively compete for migration funding.

Estimated AWS fundingDeal-specific estimate
$0(range: $75,000$125,000)

AWS does not publish an exact MAP formula. This range reflects figures commonly reported by AWS partners (roughly 15-25% of first-year run-rate spend) — your actual MAP funding is confirmed during the Assess phase.

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Our Approach

How we help you access this funding

Most enterprise funding is only accessible — or meaningfully larger — when submitted through a certified partner.

01

Program & Provider Fit Assessment

We map your workloads, growth stage, and roadmap against AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud funding programs to find which ones you actually qualify for.

ARR/run-rate review, workload inventory, funding stack comparison

02

Documentation & Business Case Prep

Programs like MAP and RaMP require a total cost of ownership (TCO) model and a migration business case before funding is approved — we build both with you.

TCO modeling, Projected Annual Run Rate calculation, workload prioritization

03

Partner-Submitted Application

Most enterprise funding is only accessible through a certified partner's portal. We submit through our AWS Partner Central, Microsoft Partner Center, and Google Partner Advantage accounts.

Formal funding request, partner incentive nomination where applicable

04

Funding Confirmation & Contracting

Once approved, we confirm the funding structure — cash vs. credits, tranche schedule, and any remediation or spend requirements — before work begins.

Funding letter review, tranche and milestone mapping

05

Execution, Tagging & Credit Realization

Credits are not automatic — AWS MAP, for example, requires resource tagging to actually realize funding. We build tagging and tracking into the migration from day one.

Resource tagging setup, credit dashboard monitoring, milestone reporting

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

It depends on your provider, workload size, and growth stage. Google Cloud publishes its RaMP formula directly: 25% of incremental eligible spend, capped at the lesser of 30% of your Projected Annual Run Rate or $3M. AWS and Microsoft don't publish exact MAP or Azure Accelerate figures — those are confirmed deal-by-deal during a formal assessment with a certified partner.
No. AWS publishes the MAP program structure (the Assess, Mobilize, Migrate & Modernize phases) publicly, but not exact dollar or percentage figures — those live in a partner-only funding guide and are negotiated based on workload scope and projected AWS spend.
All three fund migration and modernization work, but Google is the most transparent — it publishes its exact credit formula publicly. AWS and Microsoft both structure funding around phases and partner-submitted assessments without publishing precise dollar figures. Functionally, the amount you get from any of the three depends heavily on your workload size, projected spend, and which partner submits the application.
Yes, at a smaller scale. AWS Activate's Founders tier offers up to $5,000 with no accelerator backing required. Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub starts around $1,000 with no equity taken. Google's pre-funded track offers up to $2,000 for founders without institutional funding yet. Larger tiers (up to $150,000–$350,000) require accelerator, VC, or institutional backing.
For startup credit programs (AWS Activate, Founders Hub, Google for Startups), you can apply directly. For enterprise programs — MAP, Azure Accelerate, RaMP — funding is typically only accessible or meaningfully larger when submitted through a certified partner, because the provider is funding the partner-led delivery of the migration, not just the software spend.
Startup credit decisions are usually fast — AWS Activate typically responds in 5-10 business days. Enterprise programs take longer: a MAP or RaMP assessment and funding approval typically runs 2-6 weeks depending on how much documentation (TCO models, workload inventories) is ready going in.
Straight From The Source

Official sources

Every figure on this page links directly to where it came from. Funding programs change often, so we recommend confirming the latest terms with the provider before you finalize plans.

Page content and figures last verified July 2026.

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