According to a leaked email, Amazon is experimenting with a new way to link up startups and private investors in an effort to strengthen its relationship with the startup ecosystem, a CNBC report has revealed.
The program, entitled the Pro-Rata program, is intended to bring together companies that use AWS with investors and venture funds that hold portfolios full of potential cloud customers. It is reportedly headed by Brad Holden, a former partner at Tomorrow Ventures, and Jason Hunt, both members the AWS business development team with whom they focus on angel and seed relationships.
"The Pro-Rata Program is a new pilot intended to connect family offices and venture capitalists for specific investment opportunities from the AWS ecosystem," read the email, which was sent to investors back in January.
Amazon will not be investing money itself through this particular program, however, Pro-Rata is just one of a number of moves that retail giant has made in an effort to enhance the startup ecosystem using both AWS and the Alexa Fund over the last few years.
In particular, Amazon has a program called AWS Activate which aims to expand the use of the technology through its partnership with more than 3,000 accelerators, incubators, venture firms and other groups. It also has a number of initiatives that offer startup developers promotional credits allowing them to get started for free.
