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| Afonso Alcântara's appearance at Google Cloud |
Poosting, a Brazilian social network founded by Afonso Alcântara, 2025 was defined by this tension. In its first few months, the platform experienced explosive growth that became a victim of its own success. Without external investors, skyrocketing server costs became unsustainable, leaving the leadership team facing the very real possibility that the project would shut down just as it was taking off.
According to Afonso, The turning point came during a particularly discouraging meeting with potential investors. Amidst the frustration, an unexpected email arrived from Google. Initially, Alcântara misread the message, believing the tech giant was offering only $350 in cloud credits. Only after a closer look did the life-changing reality set in: Google was inviting Poosting into its "Google Cloud for Startups" program, providing $350,000 USD in credits over three years. This partnership provided the essential infrastructure and financial runway needed to stabilize the platform and secure its future.
With the technical burden lifted, the Poosting team dedicated thousands of hours to refining the user experience, strengthening security, and scaling the architecture. Despite personal sacrifices and the skepticism of those who doubted the project’s viability, the platform has emerged as a resilient force in the Brazilian digital landscape.