Funding Cloud Migrations: How German Startups Can Get AWS to Pay for It

If You're a Startup in Germany, AWS Might Cover Your Cloud Migration — Here's How to Make It Happen

Startups move fast. But cloud infrastructure problems — like scaling bottlenecks, lack of observability, or downtime — slow you down hard.

Whether you're hitting platform limits, struggling with scalability, or firefighting performance issues, there's one thing most CTOs in high-growth startups can agree on:

You need to modernize your infrastructure — but without burning precious time or budget.

Here’s the good news: AWS will pay for your migration — if you know how to ask and navigate their funding programs right.

This isn’t a marketing gimmick. It’s a structured program that funds migrations to AWS, called the Migration Acceleration Program (MAP). It has helped companies like yours go from legacy to modern cloud with little to no upfront cost.

Let’s break it down.

Step 1: Understand What AWS Funds

AWS doesn’t just offer cloud credits. Under MAP, they can also cover:

Planning & assessment
Architecture modernization
Migration work done by certified partners
Post-migration optimization

It’s a mix of cash reimbursements and cloud credits, depending on the workload.

Why AWS Does This

Because it works — for them too. If your product succeeds on AWS, they win long-term revenue. So they’re willing to fund your move.

Step 2: Know If You're Eligible

AWS looks for:

A valid business case (growth potential, stability, performance)
Mid to large workload (not hobby apps)
Commitment to adopt AWS for at least core workloads
Willingness to work with an AWS Partner (like us)

Not sure if you qualify? You’d be surprised how many startups do.

Step 3: Build the Case — With the Right Partner

One big challenge came from Azure’s Application Gateway, which was used for WAF and SSL termination.

It worked — until it didn’t.

The number of supported rules and domains in App Gateway was too low for a single-tenant deployment model. To work around this:

We provisioned multiple Application Gateways, grouped by tenant batches.
Explored alternatives like Cloudflare in front of Nginx Ingress Controllers — especially in Hetzner.

This turned out to be the best combo:

Here’s what AWS needs to greenlight your funding:

Clear scope of what you’re migrating
Effort estimation (hours, resources, tooling)
High-level architecture and cost forecast
Migration plan, even if phased

As experienced cloud migration service providers, we translate your existing setup into AWS language. That means fewer delays, smoother approvals, and maximum funding.

⚠ Mistake to avoid: Underestimating the paperwork. This isn't just a checkbox. It’s a proposal AWS has to bet money on. Make it good.

Step 4: Execute — With Funding Approved

Once approved, AWS assigns an account manager and releases the funding.

Here's what execution can look like:

Near-zero-downtime database migration
Full move from manual to autoscaling workloads
Improved app speed and user experience
Observability, cost controls, and room to scale

You focus on your product. We handle the infra, automation, and AWS admin.

Step 5: Optimize Post-Migration

After the move, your setup should be:

Scalable (think spikes at 3–4k/s)
Cost-effective (cloud credits + tuning)
Modern (IaC, autoscaling, alerts, CI/CD)

We often keep supporting optimization, automation, and handover to your team — depending on how much freedom vs. control you want.

What You Get Out of This

AWS-funded migration (fully or partially covered)
Saved time for your team — no infra distractions
Modern, resilient infrastructure
More focus on product & customer — not backend fights

Quick Checklist to Start

If your team is saying things like:

You’re a German-based startup or scale-up

You’re planning to modernize or migrate to AWS

You’re dealing with infra limits, high costs, or slow scalability

You’d rather focus on shipping product than managing servers

You’re open to working with an AWS Partner to get funded

Final Thoughts

The biggest bottleneck for growing startups? Not money. It’s time, headspace, and distraction from your core mission.

Getting AWS to pay for your migration is a tactical move to buy back focus.

You don't need to do it alone. We've helped high-traffic SaaS startups in Germany go through the entire AWS MAP process — and come out faster, leaner, and better equipped for growth.

💬 Want to talk?

Let’s evaluate your case — 30 minutes is all we need to tell you if you qualify.

👉 Book a call with our cloud team or DM us on LinkedIn