CloudKeeper's Million-Dollar Cloud Cost Savings Strategy

The allure of cloud computing – scalability, flexibility, and on-demand resources – has spurred its widespread adoption. However, this ease of access can quickly translate into uncontrolled spending, making cloud cost optimization a critical discipline. As organizations migrate to the cloud, they often struggle with hidden costs, underutilized resources, and pricing complexities across multiple service providers. Effective cloud cost optimization not only reduces expenses but also enhances overall operational efficiency.

As businesses in India, from unicorns to established enterprises, grapple with ballooning cloud bills, CloudKeeper, led by CEO Deepak Mittal, is emerging as a critical ally. In an exclusive interview, Mittal reveals the secrets behind his company's success, dissecting the common pitfalls of cloud waste, and outlining how CloudKeeper is pioneering a holistic approach to cost optimization, saving clients millions while navigating the complexities of a rapidly evolving digital landscape. Excerpts: 

Could you start by giving us an overview of CloudKeeper and its business in India?

CloudKeeper is a company specializing in cloud solutions, with a sharp focus on cloud cost optimization. While cloud security, reliability, and performance are all critical aspects, we have chosen to address cost efficiency, which remains a major challenge for organizations leveraging the cloud.

In India, we have over 150 customers and handle more than ₹1,000 crore in cloud-related business. While we may not have exact competitor figures, we believe CloudKeeper is among the top cloud cost optimization providers in the country. Our client base includes over 25 unicorns and large enterprises such as IndiGo Airlines, Zepto, Lenskart, and CarDekho, alongside numerous mid-sized and emerging businesses.

Are there any specific industries that benefit the most from your solutions?

That’s a great question and one that often comes up. While we work with about 35 Fintech companies, cloud cost optimization is an industry-agnostic challenge. Our solutions are designed to transcend industry boundaries, meaning businesses across various sectors—whether e-commerce, logistics, or financial services—can benefit equally.

For instance, the work we do for a company like Zepto can be just as impactful for a financial institution or a SaaS company. Since our expertise lies in cloud cost efficiency rather than a specific industry vertical, we can seamlessly serve a diverse range of businesses.

Cloud cost optimization is a competitive space. What sets CloudKeeper apart?

Cloud cost optimization is evolving, especially in the U.S., with three main approaches: rate optimization (buying cloud at the best price), usage optimization (eliminating waste), and architecture optimization (building cost-efficient infrastructure).

What makes CloudKeeper unique is that we cover all three aspects as a Total Savings Partner. Unlike others who focus solely on software, consulting, or procurement, we combine all three—proprietary technology, expert advisory, and procurement expertise—into one end-to-end solution.

What are the biggest challenges organizations face in managing cloud costs?

The biggest issue is that cost has always been an afterthought—companies first focused on cloud migration and security, leaving cost optimization behind. Now, with rising cloud bills, they’re realizing the need for better control.

Challenges include:
Lack of expertise—Most IT professionals specialize in cloud deployment, not cost management.
Complex pricing—Millions of cloud SKUs make it hard to pick the right options.
No real-time visibility—Companies often overspend without knowing it.

CloudKeeper tackles these with automated savings, real-time insights, and expert consulting, ensuring organizations optimize costs without sacrificing performance.

Many businesses struggle with cloud waste. What are the most common inefficiencies in cloud spending, and how can they be mitigated?

Cloud inefficiencies primarily arise from overprovisioning. Many organizations have a mindset of provisioning to the maximum extent possible, often due to a lack of understanding of their actual requirements. Cloud platforms allow easy scaling, yet companies still purchase larger servers out of caution, mirroring traditional data center practices.

Another major factor is the lack of awareness regarding cost implications. Cloud providers offer various pricing tiers, but businesses often select higher-end configurations without evaluating their needs, leading to unnecessary expenses.

Additionally, cloud platforms rapidly introduce new, more cost-effective solutions. For instance, AWS launched its Graviton chips, which offer 20–25% savings over Intel and AMD processors. However, only a small fraction of companies have adopted them due to a lack of awareness. Staying updated on such advancements and optimizing infrastructure accordingly can significantly reduce cloud waste.

How do you ensure tangible savings and ROI for your customers?

We embed cost savings directly into our contracts, which is one of our key differentiators. Our approach consists of two types of savings:

The type 1 is, Guaranteed Savings, these savings require no changes to a customer’s existing cloud setup. They are realized from the start, with typical savings ranging from 7–10%.

Then type 2 is, Optimization-Based Savings, these require minor adjustments to configurations or usage patterns. Through detailed audits, we identify areas of overprovisioning or inefficient resource allocation. These savings generally materialize within 60–90 days.

On average, our customers achieve 20–26% savings, demonstrating the effectiveness of our optimization strategies.

Cloud computing is evolving rapidly with AI, multi-cloud, and sustainability trends. How are you adapting to these changes?

To be candid, sustainability is widely discussed, but it is not a primary focus for most customers. Businesses care more about tangible outcomes. If sustainability initiatives align with cost savings—such as reducing energy consumption by optimizing cloud workloads—then they resonate. However, presenting sustainability as a standalone pitch often fails to gain traction.

AI adoption is increasing, but cost optimization is not a primary concern in AI-related projects yet. Businesses are still in the experimental phase, testing multiple AI use cases before scaling. Right now, organizations are more focused on identifying the right AI applications rather than controlling costs. However, once AI workloads mature and expand, cost efficiency will become a major consideration.

You have a presence in multiple countries. How do you tailor your services to different regions and industries?

The core cloud platforms—AWS, Google Cloud, and Azure—remain largely uniform across regions. However, the speed of adoption and priorities differ. In India, cost sensitivity has increased significantly over the past few years, whereas in the US, companies have been optimizing cloud costs for a longer time.

Additionally, cloud providers often launch new features in the US first before rolling them out to other regions. This creates a gap where global companies operating in multiple markets may have access to cost-saving features in one region but not in another. Our role is to bridge this gap and ensure clients leverage the best available options wherever they operate.

How do you see cloud cost optimization evolving?

The market is consolidating—too many niche providers have emerged, but businesses prefer end-to-end solutions. In the next few years, we’ll likely see five to seven dominant players offering comprehensive cloud cost management. Right now, Kubernetes cost optimization is a hot topic, but AI workloads will take center stage soon.

What’s your advice for businesses starting their cloud cost optimization journey?

Make cost efficiency a top-down priority. If leadership drives it, teams will follow. My key tips:

1. Think financially. Treat cloud costs as a business metric.
2. Set KPIs. Track and optimize cloud spending regularly.
3. Embed cost awareness. Make it part of your cloud strategy, not an afterthought.

What’s your vision for CloudKeeper in the next 3-5 years?

We’ve been growing at nearly 50% annually for the past few years, and we aim to sustain that momentum. More importantly, our vision is to become the go-to partner for businesses looking to optimize multi-cloud environments and drive cloud cost efficiency at scale.

Currently, the cloud cost optimization space is still evolving, with only a few major players. Our goal is to be among the top three companies in this domain, setting industry benchmarks for cost intelligence and optimization.

As a founder and CEO, what is the most important lesson you have learned?

The biggest lesson I’ve learned is never take shortcuts—whether in product development, customer relationships, or business strategy.

It’s tempting to go for quick wins, but sustainable growth comes from long-term thinking. Investing in robust solutions, maintaining transparency with customers, and focusing on lasting value always pay off.

At CloudKeeper, we’ve built a culture where we prioritize long-term success over short-term gains, and that has been key to our growth.