By: Elle dela Cruz

CloudKeeper’s achievement of reaching $200 million in annualized revenue, without raising any venture capital, highlights a distinct and disciplined path to growth in the cloud cost optimization sector. Rather than relying on aggressive funding, the company has focused on building scalable, outcome-oriented solutions rooted in deep technical expertise. Leading this effort is Founder and CEO Deepak Mittal, whose background in engineering and commitment to delivering tangible value have shaped CloudKeeper’s trajectory from day one.

In this interview, Mittal shares the core principles behind the company’s product-first philosophy, detailing how it built trust with both cloud providers and customers through consistent delivery and innovation. The conversation also sheds light on CloudKeeper’s approach to developer adoption, its disruption of traditional pricing expectations, and how it maintains credibility and adaptability across a diverse client base, from early-stage startups to complex, global enterprises.

Q: CloudKeeper achieved 50% revenue growth and $200 million in annualized revenue without venture funding. What strategic decisions enabled this capital-efficient scaling while competing against well-funded FinOps rivals?

Deepak: CloudKeeper was born out of To The New, a bootstrapped company I co-founded with a strong cloud and DevOps foundation. CloudKeeper followed the same principles from the start, focusing on delivering real customer outcomes through a highly skilled engineering team and a product-first mindset. Instead of chasing growth through capital, we built scalable, innovative solutions that addressed core cloud cost challenges supported by a team of experts.

Our consistent delivery earned us trust not just from customers, but from cloud providers like AWS and GCP, who now actively recommend us. That ecosystem support, combined with disciplined execution, has helped us scale without raising a single dollar.

Q: Your AWS console-integrated Tuner platform fundamentally changes developer workflows. How did you identify this niche opportunity and convince engineers to adopt optimization tools within their existing processes?

Deepak: One of the consistent challenges highlighted by the FinOps Foundation is getting engineering teams to own cloud cost decisions. It’s understandable as engineers are measured on delivery and performance, not cost. So we knew any solution we built had to align with that reality, not fight it.

CloudKeeper Tuner has been designed with that philosophy in mind, an industry-first AWS usage optimization platform that works seamlessly within existing developer workflows. It performs real-time, non-disruptive optimization while complementing engineers with actionable, performance-safe recommendations, directly into their AWS console, through a simple browser extension.

There were no blueprints for this, we were stepping into uncharted territory. But that gave us the freedom to innovate on our own terms. It was a leap of faith, and it paid off because we put the developer experience at the heart of it.

Q: CloudKeeper offers savings without long-term commitments. How does this model challenge traditional cloud providers’ lock-in strategies, and what pushback have you encountered?

Deepak: CloudKeeper AZ aims to deliver savings without locking customers into long-term commitments. We handle commitment management through group buying and advanced rate optimization, delivering value quickly. Cloud providers have been supportive, as our model drives more predictable and efficient cloud usage. The real challenge has been educating customers, as many assume it’s too good to be true or are hesitant about routing billing through us. We reassure them with complete transparency and clarify that we only require minimal IAM access, with no visibility into their data.

Q: With 100+ AWS-certified engineers, how do you maintain technical depth while expanding into multi-cloud optimization and AI workload management?

Deepak: We have over 100 certified cloud experts across AWS and Google Cloud, many of whom also hold FinOps Foundation certifications. Their deep expertise spans cloud, DevOps, FinOps, and cost optimization. We began integrating AI well before it was mainstream, launching CloudKeeper Auto in 2022, an AI-powered RI management platform that delivers on-demand flexibility at reserved pricing.

We’ve built a strong culture of continuous learning through dedicated cloud learning paths, full certification sponsorships, and internal hackathons to foster innovation. Engineers are incentivized to experiment, upskill, and contribute to technical breakthroughs. A dedicated Center of Excellence now drives our multi-cloud and AI workload strategy forward.

Q: Your Well-Architected Reviews are funded entirely by CloudKeeper – what measurable business outcomes justify this investment compared to paid consulting models?

Deepak: Our fully-funded Well-Architected Reviews deliver immediate, tangible outcomes – unlike generic trials or passive demos. They allow us to dive deep into a customer’s actual cloud environment, identify inefficiencies, and demonstrate measurable savings and performance improvements from day one. This hands-on engagement builds trust and credibility, often converting into long-term partnerships.

Moreover, these reviews generate high-value insights that inform our roadmap and strengthen our optimization models. Even in cases where a customer doesn’t immediately convert, the goodwill and referrals we earn create a strong organic growth channel, making the ROI of these funded reviews far superior to traditional paid consulting approaches.

Q: As you expand in North America, how will CloudKeeper’s approach differ when advising cost-conscious startups versus Fortune 500 enterprises with complex cloud estates?

Deepak: Our approach remains consistent: anchored in personalized engagement – but it flexes to match the scale and needs of each business. We’ve worked with both large enterprises like FranConnect and AMI Strategies, and nimble startups like Appsmith and Chain.io, delivering tailored cost optimization outcomes across industries such as SaaS, FinTech, Healthcare, and Retail. Our team of experts performs in-depth evaluations, aligning Well-Architected Reviews with business goals to uncover savings and eliminate waste. Startups often look for quick wins, such as the immediate savings offered by CloudKeeper AZ, while enterprises tend to focus on modular services like usage optimization, EDP+ support, and multi-layered governance. This flexibility is what makes CloudKeeper a true end-to-end cloud cost optimization partner capable of adapting to diverse needs while consistently delivering measurable results.

Q: With AI infrastructure costs projected to triple, what architectural principles is CloudKeeper advocating to prevent a new wave of cloud waste in generative AI deployments?

Deepak: Generative AI workloads are extremely resource-hungry, and without the right guardrails, they can lead to massive cloud waste. At CloudKeeper, we promote building cost-aware architectures, choosing the right compute options, isolating workloads smartly, and using flexible pricing models like spot instances wherever possible. We also guide teams to streamline how AI is developed and deployed, ensuring they don’t overspend on idle infrastructure or unused models.

Our platforms like CloudKeeper Tuner and Lens are evolving to bring visibility and control to AI-specific spending, right from the start. The goal is simple: help businesses scale AI with confidence without the budget surprises.

CloudKeeper’s evolution reflects a rare mix of engineering precision, product insight, and commercial focus. Through embedding optimization within developer workflows, funding hands-on reviews, and staying ahead of multi-cloud and AI workload needs, the company has set itself apart in the FinOps space. Deepak Mittal’s perspective reveals a founder deeply rooted in technology, yet sharply attuned to business impact.

As cloud costs rise and architectures grow more complex, CloudKeeper offers more than just savings, it provides strategic guidance for companies aiming to scale with control and clarity. Its ability to adapt across startup and enterprise environments, while maintaining measurable outcomes, positions it as a trusted partner for organizations rethinking how they manage cloud efficiency and long-term growth.