Free AWS cloud credits for a start-up: you start with $1,000 and the ceiling for self-funded projects is $5,000. Apply online, answer in 5–10 business days. You need a real project and a company founded within the last 10 years.
Amazon Web Services (AWS Activate)· AWS Activate Founders (Amazon Web Services)
For self-funded start-ups: you start with $1,000 in credits and some participants can get up to $5,000; credits only pay for AWS services. For projects backed by a fund, accelerator or investor there is Activate Portfolio, up to $200,000
One-off
AWS Activate Founders are Amazon cloud credits for a startup without outside investment: you start at $1,000 and some participants can get up to $5,000. The credits only pay for AWS services and are not cash in an account; when they run out you will pay yourself. For projects with a fund, accelerator or investor there is an Activate Portfolio tier of up to $200,000.
You need a pre-Series B startup founded in the last 10 years, with an AWS account on a paid plan, that has not received Activate credits before or asks for more than it received. The application is online with an answer in 5–10 working days; the internal evaluation criteria within a tier are not published.
Checking against your answers…
Where to go and what to do, step by step
Check that you already have a start-up: AWS gives credits to pre-series B projects founded in the last 10 years. A bare idea does not qualify.
Create an AWS account and move it to the Paid Tier Plan: without it the application is not accepted. As long as you do not use paid services nothing is charged, but watch your bills.
Make sure you have not had Activate credits before: the condition is to be new to them or to request more than you received.
Open aws.amazon.com/startups/credits, choose Activate Founders (for self-funded start-ups) and fill in the form: product, funding stage and company profile.
Wait for the answer (5–10 business days). The starting amount is $1,000; some participants may qualify for up to $5,000.
If an accelerator, fund or investor later backs you, move to Activate Portfolio (up to $200,000) with a separate application.
Documents and materials to attach to the application.
Example (written by us): Martín, 18, has launched a small service for school club schedules. He creates an AWS account, moves it to the paid plan and applies to Activate Founders. A week later he gets the answer and starter credits for hosting.
An example we wrote to illustrate: it is not an official sample, replace the details with your own.
AWS reviews the application by funding stage and company profile; the scoring criteria and the amount within a tier are not spelled out in the public text.
You get AWS credits that can only be spent on AWS services. It is not cash. When they run out you pay normal rates, so set up spending alerts.
Guide checked against the official pages: 9 October 2026. Guide written from official sources. Details may change: check them on the application page.
A letter template and a checklist to review before sending. If a local model is running on your computer, the text reads more naturally.
“AWS offers promotional credits based on your startup's funding stage.”
Experience from people who have already applied. These are user opinions and are not verified by the organiser.
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This information is for guidance only. Conditions change every year — check them on the provider's official website before applying.
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