The Backblaze Flameflower Startup Program is here, and it’s built by people who’ve been burned before (and that’s a good thing for you).
Startups don’t fail because they pick the wrong cloud storage provider.
They fail because everything else is already hard enough, and infrastructure quietly becomes the thing that slows them down, surprises them, or blows up their budget at exactly the wrong moment.
That’s why we’re launching Flamethrower, the new startup program from Backblaze.
It’s not a gimmick. It’s not a lead trap. And it definitely doesn’t bring the “here’s some credits, good luck” energy.
Flamethrower exists for one simple reason: Founders deserve storage infrastructure that helps them move faster, not learn expensive lessons the hard way.
Why Flamethrower exists
Why Flamethrower?
Startups don’t need more friction, they need a way through it. Metaphor-wise, flames have always been a part of Backblaze’s DNA, and we want this program to speak to the strongest parts of that fire: speed when you need it, reliability when it counts, and power to scale without drama.
Flamethrower takes these ideas and applies it directly to startups, burning away the biggest blockers between you and your next milestone.
I’ve spent most of my career in and around startups, as a founder, an operator, a partner, a mentor, and occasionally as the person explaining to a CFO why last month’s cloud bill looked like a typo.
I’ve seen the pattern repeat over and over:
- Early teams optimize for speed (correct)
- Infrastructure decisions get made quickly (also correct)
- Those decisions quietly become very sticky
- And later… someone realizes storage costs are now a board-level discussion
Flamethrower is designed to meet teams before that moment, making your architecture deliberate, not accidental.
Not with abstract promises, but with:
- Real infrastructure used in real production environments
- Credits that actually help you get to product-market fit
- And access to real, live humans who understand what it’s like to build under pressure
This program was built by founders, for founders, including a lot of hard-earned lessons from what doesn’t work.
What makes Flamethrower different
There are plenty of startup programs out there. Many are well-intentioned. Some are very good at marketing. A few are genuinely useful.
Flamethrower is focused on a few things we think matter more than buzzwords:
Human interaction (Yes, really)
Your application is reviewed by real people. Your emails are read by real people.
And if you want to talk to someone, you’ll talk to someone who understands startups, architectures, and workflows, not a generic support queue.
Infrastructure that scales with you
Backblaze B2 is simple, predictable, and S3 compatible. Teams use it for:
- AI/ML training data
- Media and gaming assets
- Backup, archive, and disaster resilience (DR)
- SaaS platforms that expect to grow
In other words: the boring stuff that absolutely has to work.
A program that respects your time
No mandatory demos. No surprise sales motions. No pressure to “convert” before you’re ready.
If Flamethrower helps you build faster—great.
If it doesn’t—that’s okay too, we’ll handle the boring bits until your rocket ship takes off.
Why Backblaze
Backblaze has always had a bit of a different personality.
We believe:
- Pricing should be understandable
- Infrastructure should behave predictably
- Documentation should be written by people who actually use the product
- And success shouldn’t be punished with surprise bills
That mindset is exactly why Flamethrower fits here.
This isn’t a side project. It’s an extension of how Backblaze already works with developers and builders, just with a little more gas on the fire (if you will).
A bit about me
If we haven’t met yet: I’m James, and I lead Startups and Developer Relations at Backblaze.
I’ve spent years building and running startup programs, developer ecosystems, partnerships, and learning, sometimes painfully, what not to do. I’ve been on the receiving end of “exciting programs” that turned out to be mostly slide decks.
Flamethrower is my attempt (with a very smart team) to build the kind of program I wish existed when I was earlier in my career: practical, honest, and actually useful.
No heroics. No silver bullets. Just support where it counts.
What happens next
The Flamethrower Program is officially live!
If you’re:
- A founder building something data-heavy
- An early team thinking about long-term infrastructure
- Or someone who just wants storage to be the least cumbersome (and most strategic) part of their stack
We’d love to hear from you.
- Learn more and apply to Flamethrower
- Or just explore Backblaze on your own terms.
- Sign up for the Developer newsletter to stay up-to-date with news about the platform and other peoples’ cool projects.
And if nothing else, thanks for building things. The world needs more people who do.
