I really, really like this idea.
http://www.startuppack.org/There are several apps here which can individually help lift a nascent company by the bootstraps.
I wonder if it would be possible to go farther. Couldn't these companies afford to give away a combined value of $50,000 to companies, with the tacit underestanding* that as they grow, become post-product, post-revenue, profitable, and better-funded, the relationship (and margins with these companies) also grows?
To me, this is like why YCombinator companies are given so much Rackspace Cloud access. It's about starting a relationship early.
If so maybe the sweet spot is lowering the threshold to companies that have raised less than $50,000, and giving away nearly as much in early value. Then, after the company has at least $50,000 they can start paying more and more, especially as they are better and better funded. Initially a very small amount, but then a small treadmill upwards.
also, about building it into a contract? Let's be honest: an unfunded startup company that has incorporated has two years to sink or swim. A lot of unfunded but incorporated companies would jump at contracts that give them $50,000 in value to start growing with, and if they succeed, they are locked into (reasonable) service agreements. it's about cash flow and relationships. since the margins are high on these products, it makes sense for the companies that offer them to get in on it - it's a small gamble because there is a low direct cost (definition of high margin), and no opportunity cost because the companies don't have money anyway. (they just have to make sure the startups aren't reselling their services, but using them) In short, I think it's a really great idea.
*or hell, build it into an SLA!