Amazon: Calling all startups

Amazon.com is making plans for its third annual start-up challenge, in which tech companies compete to show which can best leverage Amazon's cloud computing services. The winner gets $100,000 in cash and credits. Startups were an early customer base for Amazon Web Services, and Amazon continues to actively court them, despite its more recent efforts to bring large enterprises, scientists, and others into its cloud.

Amazon is seeking to expand participation in the contest, inviting developers from the U.K., Germany and Israel to take part. The company also set up a separate challenge for using its Flexible Payments and Simple Pay services.

Last year's winner was Yieldex, a New York-based online ad optimization engine for web publishers. The year before that, the top prize went to Silicon Valley video distribution startup Ooyala. Amazon, Madrona Venture Group, and others ended up investing in Yieldex after last year's startup challenge -- a sign that the contest can bring other benefits.

Online applications for this year's competition are due by August 26.

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About Eric Engleman

ERIC ENGLEMAN is senior technology staff writer for TechFlash and the Puget Sound Business Journal, covering online retail giant Amazon.com. Engleman tracks Amazon's increasingly complex business, spanning ecommerce, Kindle, cloud computing, and more. He's been covering technology and other industries for the Business Journal since 2003.

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