Google tempts select startups with $100,000 in free Cloud Platform credits

Google today announced Cloud Platform for Startups, an initiative to give startups $100,000 in free credits for Google’s Cloud Platform cloud computing service.

The program is a direct jab at Amazon, which also offers startups special perks when they use AWS — but only Google is giving away $100,000 in credits thus far.

Eligible companies must make “less than $500,000 in annual revenue,” have raised less than $5 million, and be “in an approved Accelerator, Incubator or VC fund,” Google says. That last qualifier is a big catch, but there appears to be a large list of supported funds, including 500 Startups, TechStars, Code for America, and the Nashville Entrepreneur Center.