Who is Eligible for AWS Startup Credits and How to Apply (2025 Guide)
- Nitin Yadav
- Knowledge
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Learn who qualifies for AWS startup credits in 2025, how to apply, and how to maximize them with expert tips.
Industries
- AWS Activate 2025, AWS Activate Program, AWS for Startups, AWS Startup Credits, Cloud Credits for Startups, Founders vs Portfolio Tier
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Introduction
One of the largest initial costs for startups is cloud infrastructure. From managing to hosting your product to setting up your databases, analytics, and monitoring pipelines, it can all quickly get expensive when building on the cloud. AWS Activate is there to help with that.
Amazon Web Services (AWS) also has a robust credit program for scaling startups without worrying about cloud bills, often up to $100,000 in credits depending on your startup stage and affiliation.
In this ultimate guide, we’ll explain who qualifies for AWS startup credits in 2025, the application process, the benefits you get, and how to maximize these.
What Are AWS Startup Credits?
AWS Startup Credits are offered as part of the AWS Activate Program, designed to provide free cloud credits, technical support, training, and architectural guidance for early-stage startups. These credits can be used to cover almost any AWS service, including compute (EC2, Lambda), storage (S3), databases (RDS, DynamoDB), and developer tools.
AWS Activate Tiers
AWS Activate has tracks for the following:
- Activate Founders Tier — For bootstrapped and self-funded startups.
- Activate Portfolio Tier — For companies with funding from AWS-backed investors, accelerators, or startup organizations.
Depending on your eligibility, AWS provides you with credits between $1,000 and $100,000, a 1-year AWS Business Support subscription, and exclusive startup tools and offers.
AWS Startup Credits Eligibility Criteria (2025)
For those of you who are new to AWS Activate, let’s summarize the tier requirements for the AWS Activate Program:
AWS Activate Founders Tier
This is meant for bootstrapped startups that don’t belong to an accelerator or VC.
Eligibility Requirements:
- You should have a working company website.
- Must not have previously been allocated AWS Activate credits.
- Cannot currently be sponsored by a VC, accelerator, or incubator.
- Require no institutional investment and must be self-funding.
- Need an AWS account and ID (your company name).
- Must use a corporate business email (not a personal Gmail/Yahoo account).
- Maximum credit amount: Usually $1,000–$2,000 in AWS credits.
- Best for: Solo founders, indie hackers, or small teams working on MVPs without external funding.
AWS Activate Portfolio Tier
This tier has higher-value credits, designed for startups who are working with established AWS startup partners (VCs, incubators, accelerators).
Eligibility Requirements:
- Must be affiliated with an approved AWS Activate Provider (Y Combinator, Sequoia, Techstars, AngelList, etc.).
- Should have a working AWS account.
- Cannot be older than 10 years.
- Must have not raised more than $100 million.
- Shall not have previously been granted Activate Portfolio credits.
Maximum credit amount: $5,000 to $100,000 depending on application and partner affiliation.
Startups in this tier will usually get priority access for architecture reviews, supplementary support, and AWS technical account managers.
How to Apply for AWS Startup Credits
Applying for AWS Activate credits is easy but requires accuracy. Follow this step-by-step guide:
Step 1: Set Up an AWS Account
Before applying, you will need a working AWS account. Sign up at aws.amazon.com and confirm your email, credit card, and phone number.
Step 2: Visit AWS Activate Portal
Go to AWS Activate and select “Apply Now.”
Step 3: Choose Your Tier
Select either Activate Founders or Activate Portfolio based on your startup’s status and affiliations.
Step 4: Complete the Application Form
Details typically include:
- Company name, website, and logo.
- Company description and stage.
- AWS account ID.
- Business email address.
- Partner Organization Name or Org ID (Portfolio tier only).
- Referral code (if applicable).
- Upload Supporting Documents (Portfolio Tier only).
Step 5: Submit and Wait
AWS takes about 7–10 business days to review and approve applications. Upon approval, credits will appear in your AWS Billing Dashboard.
Common Reasons for Application Rejection
- Using a personal email address (Gmail, Yahoo, etc.).
- Invalid or no company website.
- Startup has previously received AWS Activate credits.
- Applying from an organization not approved for AWS Activate.
- Incorrect or incomplete company information.
AWS usually provides a reason for rejection. You can reapply after fixing the problem.
How to Maximize Your AWS Startup Credits
Once you receive AWS credits, use them wisely. Many startups burn through credits too quickly. Here’s how to stretch their value:
1. Focus on Core Infrastructure
Use credits for essential workloads: EC2, Lambda, RDS, S3, CloudFront.
2. Enable Cost Tracking
- Set up usage-based cost alerts.
- Use AWS Budgets and Cost Explorer to track spending.
3. Use Cost-Efficient Services
- Leverage EC2 Spot Instances, Graviton-based instances, AWS Fargate, and S3 Intelligent-Tiering.
4. Implement Infrastructure as Code (IaC)
- Use Terraform or CloudFormation for automation and maintainability.
5. Work with an AWS Partner
Architecting efficiently ensures your credits last. SquareOps helps startups design optimized infrastructure.
How SquareOps Helps Startups with AWS Backend
SquareOps specializes in helping early-stage startups launch, scale, and utilize AWS Activate credits efficiently.
How We Help:
- Credit Offer Planning: Evaluate workloads and recommend optimized service combinations.
- Infrastructure Design: Secure, scalable, automated cloud environments using Terraform, CI/CD pipelines, and container orchestration (ECS/EKS).
- Security & Compliance: Implement IAM best practices, VPC isolation, and cost governance.
- AWS Framework Management: Ongoing monitoring and optimization.
No matter how you’re funded bootstrapped or VC-backed SquareOps is an AWS-native DevOps partner that aligns with your tech stack and growth strategy.
Conclusion
If you’re a startup building on AWS, you can save thousands of dollars during your crucial growth phase by leveraging AWS Activate credits.
Key Takeaways:
Pick the right tier: Choose Founders if you’re bootstrapped or Portfolio if you’re backed by a VC or accelerator.
Optimize your credits: Focus on automation, efficiency, and following cloud-native best practices.
Need help? SquareOps offers expert DevOps consulting and cloud cost optimization to help you get the most out of your AWS credits.
Want to maximize your AWS credits and scale efficiently? Contact SquareOps today for expert support and guidance.
Frequently asked questions
AWS Activate credits are free cloud credits offered through Amazon Web Services (AWS) to eligible startups. These credits can be applied towards AWS services, including compute, storage, databases, and many other services.
Self-funded or bootstrapped startups can apply under the Founders tier. Startups supported by an approved network of venture capitalists (VCs), accelerators, or incubators can apply using the Portfolio tier. Eligibility Criteria: Based on company age, latest funding stage, and past spent credits.
Eligible startups – with limits determined by the Activate tier – can receive between $1,000 and $100,000 in AWS credits, along with technical support and training resources.
Activate Founders is for bootstrapped concerns without external investment or sponsorship. Activate Portfolio applies to startups supported by AWS-accepted venture capital firms, accelerators, or startup initiatives.
Yes. If you already have an AWS account, you can apply for Activate credits, provided that you meet the eligibility criteria set out on the Activate site and have not already received Activate credits.
Visit aws.amazon.com/activate, select your tier, enter your company information, and submit all the applicable documents. All approvals are decided within 7–10 business days.
You’ll need your AWS Account ID, a valid business email, and a referral or your VC/accelerator Organization ID. You might also need to provide a letter of affiliation.
Yes. If your application was denied due to an error (such as an unlisted website or invalid information), you are free to fix the problem and reapply.
Deploy them on top of required infrastructure like EC2, S3, RDS, or Lambda. Track usage through AWS Budgets and Cost Explorer; partner with someone like SquareOps to architect efficient, scalable infrastructure.
Absolutely. SquareOps enables startups to apply for AWS Activate, design their cloud infrastructure, and get the most out of their credits via automation, DevOps, and cost optimization.
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