Alphabet Inc.’s Google Cloud today announced that it’s broadening its outreach to Web3 and blockchain startups to enable emerging projects building in the industry to get started faster through an expansion of the Google for Startups Cloud Program to include Web3-specific benefits.

Web3 technology, otherwise known as the decentralized web, allows for peer-to-peer transactions using blockchain technology without the need for centralized servers. This allows the creation of decentralized applications, or dapps, that use self-executing code called smart contracts to run on blockchain infrastructure.

Beginning today, Web3 projects and startups that have earned pre-seed to Series A funding – including those with equity, token or grant funds – can apply for the program and also opt in for Web3-specific benefits that include technological, community and other resources that will allow builders to focus on innovating their products over infrastructure.

Access to the program will include up to $200,000 over two years in Google Cloud Credits that will allow access to numerous services – with up to $100,000 for the first year, and in the second year, 20% of their expenses will be covered up to $100,000 with additional credits.

The technological benefits of joining the program mean that Web3 projects will gain access to Google Cloud’s Web3-specific products such as the Blockchain Node Engine, which provides blockchain infrastructure for developers to gain direct access to blockchain data – including Ethereum nodes – and BigQuery public data sets, which include Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin and more.

Builders will also get access to fully managed serverless offerings such as Cloud Run, Firestore and Firebase, designed to allow Web3 startups to spend their time on innovating their services and protocols instead of reinventing or managing infrastructure.

Resources available to startups include exclusive grants from Google Cloud foundation partners Aptos, Celo, Flow, HBAR Foundation, Near and Solana Foundation each offering up to $1 million in cash or token equivalents. Priority review is also available for the Polygon Ventures Ecosystem Fund and the Base Ecosystem Fund, which supports projects building on Coinbase Global Inc.’s developer-friendly Ethereum Layer 2 blockchain.

Startups in the program can also a free month of Nansen Query and then 20% off Nansen products for 12 months, which provide blockchain data insights and market analysis.

The startup program will also provide $10,000 in credits to Alchemy, a Web3 development platform, including VIP support and mentorship so that teams can share ideas and gather feedback on their projects. Additionally, builders will gain priority access to Alchemy University, a premier bootcamp to educate developers on all things Web3.

Google Cloud also provides an invite-only Discord channel for Web3 developers to get the feedback of their peers, other developers, engineers, Google Cloud Web3 products, partners and others. Developers will also gain access to Google Cloud in-person VIP events around the globe, which will give them the chance to grow their professional networks such as Paris Blockchain Week, Consensus and TOKEN2049 Singapore.

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