CrowdStrike has long been synonymous with cutting-edge cybersecurity for the enterprise, but today’s announcement marks a significant shift in how advanced protection reaches the smaller players who are often most vulnerable. By partnering with Amazon’s Business Prime, CrowdStrike is making its Falcon® Go platform available as a bundled benefit, effectively erasing one of the biggest barriers for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs): cost. For Business Prime Essentials, Small, Medium, and Enterprise members, Falcon Go is included at no extra charge, a benefit that would otherwise cost $59.99 per device per month. Even Duo members, who sit at the entry tier, gain access at a 50% discount.
The backdrop for this move is stark. CrowdStrike’s own survey shows that 89% of SMBs remain exposed to ransomware and data breaches, primarily because they lack AI-powered defenses. Traditionally, Fortune 500 companies could afford to deploy real-time threat detection and response systems that adapt to evolving attack vectors. Smaller firms, by contrast, often gamble on cheaper antivirus software or piecemeal solutions that can’t keep pace with sophisticated adversaries. Falcon Go changes that equation. Built on CrowdStrike’s proven Falcon platform, it provides AI-driven protection, continuous threat intelligence, and a simplified management experience—all delivered through AWS infrastructure and optimized for Intel processors. This means even the smallest startup now has access to the same protective architecture trusted by global giants.
For Amazon Business, the collaboration fits into a broader strategy of making Business Prime indispensable to SMBs not just for procurement, but for operational continuity. Todd Heimes, vice president at Amazon Business, framed the partnership as more than just a perk—it’s a shield that allows entrepreneurs to scale without the constant fear of a crippling cyberattack. The frictionless onboarding and 24/7 monitoring reinforce that message, making it easy for non-technical teams to get set up without dedicated IT staff.
From a market perspective, this partnership signals a blurring of lines between enterprise and SMB cybersecurity. It illustrates how alliances—between cloud providers like AWS, chipmakers like Intel, and cybersecurity leaders like CrowdStrike—are reshaping distribution models. What was once gated behind high costs and technical hurdles is now democratized, and this could create competitive pressure on other vendors who still rely on a licensing model that excludes smaller firms. For SMBs, the immediate impact is transformative: enterprise-grade security is no longer aspirational; it’s part of the package deal.
Leave a Reply