AWS News Blog

AWS Weekly Roundup: AWS Lambda for .NET 10, AWS Client VPN quickstart, Best of AWS re:Invent, and more (January 12, 2026)

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At the beginning of January, I tend to set my top resolutions for the year, a way to focus on what I want to achieve. If AI and cloud computing are on your resolution list, consider creating an AWS Free Tier account to receive up to $200 in credits and have 6 months of risk-free experimentation with AWS services.

During this period, you can explore essential services across compute, storage, databases, and AI/ML, plus access to over 30 always-free services with monthly usage limits. After 6 months, you can decide whether to upgrade to a standard AWS account.

Whether you’re a student exploring career options, a developer expanding your skill set, or a professional building with cloud technologies, this hands-on approach lets you focus on what matters most: developing real expertise in the areas you’re passionate about.

Last week’s launches
Here are the launches that got my attention this week:

Additional updates
Here are some additional projects, blog posts, and news items that I found interesting:

Crossmodal search with Amazon Nova Multimodal Embeddings Architecture

Upcoming AWS events
Join us January 28 or 29 (depending on your time zone) for Best of AWS re:Invent, a free virtual event where we bring you the most impactful announcements and top sessions from AWS re:Invent. Jeff Barr, AWS VP and Chief Evangelist, will share his highlights during the opening session.

There is still time until January 21 to compete for $250,000 in prizes and AWS credits in the Global 10,000 AIdeas Competition (yes, the second letter is an I as in Idea, not an L as in like). No code required yet: simply submit your idea, and if you’re selected as a semifinalist, you’ll build your app using Kiro within AWS Free Tier limits. Beyond the cash prizes and potential featured placement at AWS re:Invent 2026, you’ll gain hands-on experience with next-generation AI tools and connect with innovators globally.

If you’re interested in these opportunities, join the AWS Builder Center to learn with builders in the AWS community.

That’s all for this week. Check back next Monday for another Weekly Roundup!

Danilo

Danilo Poccia

Danilo Poccia

Danilo works with startups and companies of any size to support their innovation. In his role as Chief Evangelist (EMEA) at Amazon Web Services, he leverages his experience to help people bring their ideas to life, focusing on serverless architectures and event-driven programming, and on the technical and business impact of machine learning and edge computing. He is the author of AWS Lambda in Action from Manning.