THE Misk Foundation Sunday announced that it is adopting the Amazon Web Services (AWS) CloudStart program to accelerate cloud computing adoption amongst Small and Medium Businesses (SMBs) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The program will focus on developing cloud based services and solutions for the government, non-profit, and education spaces in the country. The initative will start in 2018 and will continue for a year.

Misk, a non-profit philanthropic foundation established by Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, will use the AWS CloudStart program to provide cloud skills and resources to young Saudi SMBs to transform their businesses and help them innovate faster. For the public sector, it is anticipated that the program will help develop new solutions for service provision by harnessing the cost effective and highly secure AWS cloud. As part of the AWS CloudStart program in KSA, AWS is offering various enablement resources for businesses and organizations, including trainings, practice labs, and promotional credits worth US$1 million.. AWS promotional credits are credits that are applied to a customer's account and cover AWS service charges.

The AWS CloudStart program partners with economic development organizations around the world to provide awareness, education, and hands-on experience with cloud technologies in order to develop a cloud workforce, stimulate economic growth, transform the ICT landscape, and generate innovation. AWS will provide customized training and practice labs through the Misk Foundation. — SG