Under AWS Build, up to 500 startup founders from around the world will receive business and technical guidance over the course of ten weeks to make the most of the flexibility and scalability of AWS' tech stack and bring their Minimum Viable Products (MVP) to market. In addition, startups will learn technical fundamentals to integrate the most advanced cloud technologies into their applications - from analytics and serverless to artificial intelligence and machine learning. The programme also aims to help founders make strategic decisions, particularly around product development and monetising their idea. It also addresses where and when they should find beta customers and when they should use them.

"AWS Build is designed to support founders in the early stages of their startup journey and help them turn their ideas into innovative products," said Howard Wright, vice president and global head of startups at AWS. "Our goal is to bring forth a new generation of startups that are harnessing the power of the AWS cloud in new ways, and help them build the right foundations so they're ready to scale."

The AWS Build curriculum is offered fully online and largely customisable to your own pace - with weekly live virtual interactions, including technical office hours with AWS solution architecture experts, enterprise-led Ask Me Anything sessions with venture investors and industry leaders, and peer-to-peer networking events. The programme runs from 9 October to 15 December and will be held in English. To get the most out of AWS Build, startups need a working prototype and a technical lead on their team.

"The key to building a scalable business is learning how to navigate the early stages of product development," explains Amanda Herson, Partner at Founder Collective, the top-ranked seed fund on the Forbes Midas List. "AWS Build will enable founders to tap into AWS' deep technical expertise early on to bring stronger MVPs to market that are designed for efficiency and cost effectiveness from the start - key elements to attract investors like us."

Founders selected for the programme will receive up to $2,000 in AWS credits to help them build their products and services in the cloud. Startups from around the world can apply to participate. And founders who have applied for one of the AWS Accelerator programmes in the past, but were not at an early stage for enrolment, will automatically be invited to participate in AWS Build. Upon completion of the programme, founders will be invited to join the AWS Build community, a global virtual network of peers and technical experts they can leverage for further collaboration and guidance as they scale. To sign up, visit https://aws.amazon.com/startups/accelerators/build