Free cloud, AI and software credits for startups

• Founder self-identifies as a Black woman or Black nonbinary entrepreneur
• Legally registered business
• Scalable, high-growth business that plans to seek investor financing
• Rolling applications; only selected applicants are contacted

Apply through the program page below; it has the current form and dates.

• Startup must use emerging technologies (voice, generative or conversational AI, LLM-powered agents and similar) built on or integrated with the Twilio Platform
• Product in the market and a working demo showing the Twilio integration
• Raised less than $200M in venture funding
• Must have a Twilio account; the applying contact person must be at least 21
• Open worldwide

1. Create a Twilio account (required to apply)
2. When a new edition opens, submit the application on the Searchlight page with your product and a working demo of your Twilio integration

• Brands that currently sell physical consumer products aligned to Ulta Beauty's current categories
• Applicant must be at least 18 years old and a U.S. or Canadian citizen currently residing in the U.S. or Canada
• Business must be registered in the U.S. or Canada
• Early-stage beauty brands

1. Apply through the program page when applications open for the 2027 cohort: https://www.ulta.com/company/dei/muse/muse-accelerator

• Applicant must be an owner of the company; only one representative per company
• Company registered in Kroger's Supplier Hub before applying
• Pitch features an existing business solution that is ready for market or already in market
• Run by WBENC, which offers programs for women-owned businesses (this page does not state a women-ownership or certification requirement)

1. Use "Subscribe for Updates" on the program page to hear about the next round (applications are closed)
2. Register your company in Kroger's Supplier Hub before applying
3. Submit the application with an elevator pitch video of 60 seconds or less (one owner per company)
4. If accepted, attend all sessions and pitch live to Kroger judges for the $10,000 award

• Small businesses such as restaurants, flower shops, convenience stores and other local brick-and-mortar shops
• Must be located in that cohort's selected cities (Fall 2025: Greater Providence, RI; San Francisco, CA; Scranton, PA)
• The program format suits proficient English speakers; language needs can be noted in the application

1. Apply through the program page: https://about.doordash.com/en-us/impact/accelerator

• Early-stage, for-profit company that is fewer than seven years old
• At least one traction signal: paid employees beyond the founders, active users who are not friends, family or investors, initial revenue, or VC funding
• A defined plan to scale infrastructure, with Akamai Cloud as one of your primary providers
• New to Rise; existing customers are not eligible
• Not eligible: managed hosting providers, MSPs, system integrators and resellers
• Before applying, create a new Akamai Cloud account with a company-domain email and a valid credit card, and have a working website

1. Create a new Akamai Cloud account with your company-domain email and a valid credit card
2. Complete the Rise intake form on the program page with details about your startup and cloud needs
3. Akamai evaluates the submission and sends a status update within two weeks; qualified startups are invited to a short call
4. After acceptance, credits are added to your Akamai Cloud account and a program coordinator sets next steps

• Pre-Series B startup founded in the last 10 years
• AWS account on the Paid Tier Plan
• New to Activate Credits, or requesting more credits than previously received
• Activate Founders (self-funded or bootstrapped startups) can apply directly
• Activate Portfolio (up to $200,000) requires an Organization ID from an Activate Provider such as an accelerator, angel investor or VC firm
• AWS Credits for AI Startups ($200,000+) is invite-only, for startups scaling after Activate Portfolio

1. Create an AWS Builder ID with your professional email (or sign in) and complete your profile
2. Choose a tier: Activate Founders if self-funded, or Activate Portfolio using your accelerator's or investor's Activate Provider Org ID
3. Enter details about your product, funding stage and company profile
4. Create or link an AWS account to your Builder ID and submit; AWS replies within 5–10 business days

• Incorporated no more than 10 years ago
• Funded up to Series B; the page also lists 'Funded within the last 12 months', although Tier 3 is described as needing no minimum funding
• Actively developing a technology product, with a live website and a public presence on LinkedIn, X or GitHub
• For-profit business with a business email matching the company domain
• First-time applicants only (one-time per startup); not existing Cloudflare enterprise customers
• Tier 3 ($10k): bootstrapped or self-funded, under $1M raised. Tiers 2 and 1 require funding by an affiliated partner
• Not accepted: educational institutions, personal blogs, consultancies, service agencies, MSPs and resellers

1. Create a Cloudflare account and add a valid payment method
2. Submit the startup application form (Apply here) with your business email
3. Cloudflare reviews it, usually within 48 hours, and emails a confirmation once you are approved

• Early-stage startups (the page lists no specific funding, age or size limits)
• Confluent also works with partner VC firms and accelerators

1. Apply through the program page: https://www.confluent.io/startups/#apply-now

• Self-funded track: early-stage startup with less than $1M in funding, building an early-stage product or MVP
• Venture-backed track: VC-backed with at least $1M in funding, or in a recognized accelerator (for example Y Combinator)
• Existing Neon or Databricks users can apply
• Startups backed by Databricks' partner VC firms can also be nominated by their investor

1. Fill out the startup program application (or ask your investor to nominate you)
2. The team reviews it and usually responds within a few business days
3. If you qualify, credits are applied to your existing or new Neon/Databricks account

• Series A or earlier
• Must apply through an official referral partner; the application dropdown lists them, including many VCs and hyperscaler and other vendor startup programs
• New to Datadog: not a current or past customer and has not received Datadog for Startups credits before
• Direct applications without a referral are not accepted

1. Get a referral from a Datadog for Startups partner (your investor, accelerator or a vendor startup program you belong to)
2. Submit the application with details about your team, selecting your referral partner
3. While it is reviewed (typically 3–5 business days), set up a Datadog trial account in the correct region
4. When you get the acceptance email, confirm credit activation within 30 days

• Must have raised $10 million or less
• Must have a company website and an email address on the company domain
• Must create a new DigitalOcean team account with a business email and a valid credit card
• For startups that have not used prior DigitalOcean credits
• AI-native startups are prioritized; service-based startups (consulting, web/app development services, marketing agencies) are not eligible
• No VC or accelerator affiliation is required (select 'Other' in the application)

1. Create a new DigitalOcean team account using your company-domain email and a valid credit card
2. If you are in a partner VC, incubator or accelerator, ask your program manager about eligibility and award level
3. Otherwise, fill out the application form and select 'Other' as your affiliated partner organization
4. Once accepted, access your perks through the Welcome Kit

• Startups or companies with fewer than 25 employees when applying
• Must have a business or monetization strategy and a valid business email
• Long-term products only; no short-term or one-off projects
• No projects built for children 18 or under
• Agencies, consulting firms and (traditional) SMBs are not eligible; existing enterprise customers are not eligible
• One application per company

1. Submit the grant application from the ElevenLabs Startup Grants page using a business email
2. ElevenLabs tells you within one week whether you're accepted
3. Once awarded, the grant plan and credits are applied to the account you applied with

• Start tier: technology startup founded within the last 24 months, with a working MVP and plans to seek venture funding soon, that has not yet received Google Cloud credits beyond the free trial
• Scale tier: pre-seed/seed round within the last 5 years or Series A within the last 12 months, founded within the last 5 years, with no more than $5,000 in prior Google Cloud credits
• Scale requires institutional or VC equity funding (SAFEs count); angel, friends-and-family, crowdfunding, prize and government grant funding do not qualify for Scale
• Business email must match an active company website, and you need a Google Cloud billing account ID
• Not eligible: nonprofits, government entities, educational institutions, dev shops, consultancies, agencies, crypto-mining companies, and companies that have IPO'd or been acquired

1. Get your 18-character Google Cloud billing account ID, owned by a user with your company email domain
2. Make sure you have a business email that matches your active company website
3. Apply on the program page, choosing the billing account that should receive the credits
4. Google emails you about your application; credits go to the selected billing account once you are approved

• Company is privately owned
• Can show the company was established within the last five years
• Has a website or other discoverable online presence
• Each organization can get the discount only once (not extended to subsidiaries)
• Startups in a JetBrains Partner Program organization should use those partner benefits (six months free, then 50% off) first

1. Click 'Apply for Startup Program' on the JetBrains Startups page and include your website and proof of company age
2. JetBrains reviews applications within 48 hours
3. If accepted, you get an acceptance email followed by a quote for the products

• Develops a software-based product or service owned by the company
• Privately held and for-profit
• Headquartered in a country where Azure services are available
• Has not received more than $350,000 in lifetime free Azure credits and has not raised Series C or later
• Not an educational institution, government organization, consultancy or agency, and not involved in cryptocurrency mining
• Larger investor benefits need a referral code from a partner investor, accelerator, incubator, angel network or university
• A credit card is required to activate Azure credits

1. Go to startups.microsoft.com, select Get started and submit the application
2. If you have a referral code from a Microsoft for Startups Investor Network partner, enter it during the application
3. Wait for the email decision, typically within three business days
4. Once approved, set up your Azure account and activate your credits in the Azure Portal within 90 days

• Early-stage: less than 7 years old and Series A or earlier
• Focused on a single software-based product or service; development shops and agencies are not eligible
• Not previously accepted into MongoDB for Startups
• Active company website and LinkedIn profile
• New and existing MongoDB Atlas users can apply; bootstrapped startups can apply directly without a VC or accelerator

1. If you are in a VC, accelerator or incubator, ask that partner to refer you
2. Otherwise, submit the Apply Now form on the program page (company email, LinkedIn, company URL, HQ country, ZIP code and funding stage)
3. Once accepted, get your unique promo code in the welcome email
4. As an Atlas Organization Owner or Billing Admin, click Apply Code in your Atlas organization within 12 months

• Officially incorporated and less than 10 years old
• Working website and a clear use case for NVIDIA technology
• Actively operated by at least one founder
• Any funding stage; revenue is not required
• Not eligible: consulting and outsourced development firms, cryptocurrency-related companies, cloud service providers, resellers and distributors, and public companies

1. Submit the application on the Inception page with details about your business and products, your incorporation date and a company pitch deck
2. If the form shows a maintenance notice, leave your contact details there and NVIDIA will follow up
3. NVIDIA reviews your application and contacts you; then keep your profile up to date in the Inception portal to stay eligible for benefits

• Fewer than 100 employees
• Series A or earlier

1. Apply through the program page: https://www.pinecone.io/startup-program/

• Affiliated with an approved Vercel for Startups partner (typically accelerators and VC firms), with proof such as a partner dashboard screenshot
• Raised a Series A or less, and applying within 12 months of the most recent funding round
• Has not previously received Vercel for Startups credits
• Company website with a matching email address
• A valid payment method must be on file for credits to activate

1. Fill out the application form on the Vercel startups credits page with your email and a Vercel team (select or create one)
2. Choose your startup partner and upload proof of partnership
3. Vercel reviews the application within 5–7 days; if approved, accept the Flexible Commitment for Startups Terms by email
4. Add a valid payment method; credits and Enterprise access go live within 5–7 business days

• Early-stage founders building on Claude
• Additional API credits are only for startups backed by a VC in Anthropic's partner network, claimed through that VC
• Program credits apply only to the first-party Claude API through Claude Console, not AWS, Google Cloud or Azure

1. Applications are closed; subscribe to the Claude Startup newsletter on the program page to hear when the next cohort opens
2. If a VC in Anthropic's partner network backs you, ask that VC about claiming API credits

• New Algolia customers only; existing paying customers are not eligible
• Program page: less than 7 years old and less than $15M in total funding raised
• The FAQ on the same page says less than three years old and less than $5M raised, so check with Algolia which limit applies

1. Apply through the program page: https://www.algolia.com/industries/startups

• Fewer than 20 employees
• Less than $10M raised

1. Sign up for a free Amplitude account
2. Apply for the Startup Plan from the banner in your workspace
3. Eligible startups get Startup access automatically and an email either way (most are approved instantly)

• Led by one or more Black founders
• Headquartered in the U.S.
• Raised less than $30M in venture capital
• Employ fewer than 150 people
• Founders must apply personally

1. As a founder, fill out the form on the Tech for Black Founders page yourself
2. Amplitude's team contacts you to get you started

• Not an existing Atlassian paid customer
• VC-funded or associated with a partner accelerator and/or incubator
• Has not raised more than US$10 million in external funding
• You may be asked for proof of funding, such as a Crunchbase or PitchBook profile
• One 12-month enrollment per startup

1. Click Apply on the Atlassian for Startups page and submit the startups request form
2. Atlassian reviews every application and may email you for proof of funding (for example a Crunchbase or PitchBook profile)
3. If approved, the included Cloud products are $0 for 12 months, after which you renew or cancel

• Nonprofits with proof of nonprofit status (for example an income tax exemption letter), verified by Goodstack
• Social enterprises also qualify: in the US, Public Benefit Corporations, L3Cs, or businesses with a documented social mission
• Must not advocate for or against any political party, candidate or campaign, and must not discriminate
• Not eligible: government entities, political organizations, hospitals and health insurers, professional associations, unions, fraternities/sororities, and schools (academic institutions have a separate license)
• The 100% off discount applies only to annual plans of up to 25 seats

1. Open the Social Impact License application form and look up your organization by name or registration ID
2. If it isn't listed, choose nonprofit or social enterprise, enter your organization details and website, and upload proof of status
3. Goodstack reviews your eligibility and may ask for more information
4. Once approved, put Jira, Confluence or Loom on an annual plan of up to 25 seats to get them free

• Venture-backed with less than $5M in funding
• Less than $1M in annual recurring revenue
• Less than two years from the date of incorporation
• Not valid for existing paid Auth0 or Okta customers, or startups previously in the program

1. Optionally start building on Auth0's Free plan
2. Click 'Apply today' on the Auth0 for Startups page and submit the request form
3. If approved, your account gets the B2B Professional features for 12 months

• Less than six years old
• 10 or fewer employees
• Annual revenue under US$1 million
• Innovates in a social or environmental impact area (e.g., renewable energy and efficiency, water and sanitation, health); impact must be the primary business goal
• Must be a registered entity (an individual with a registered business may qualify; individuals cannot apply)

1. Check the startup eligibility criteria on the Technology Impact Program page
2. Click Apply now to start your application in Autodesk's Fluxx portal
3. Expect a reply within 10 business days and answer any follow-up questions in Fluxx

• Must be affiliated with a GitHub for Startups partner (investor, accelerator or incubator)
• Must have received outside funding, up to Series B or earlier (non-equity credits do not count)
• New to GitHub Enterprise: not on an Enterprise plan in the past six months
• Has not previously received GitHub credits or GitHub Enterprise licenses
• Enterprise Cloud accounts on GitHub.com only

1. Check the GitHub for Startups partner list to confirm your investor, accelerator or incubator is a partner
2. Apply through your GitHub for Startups partner
3. GitHub emails the applicant's primary email within 2–3 business days

• Externally funded companies only; self-funded startups cannot apply
• Seed stage: Pre-Seed or Seed with up to $5M in external funding
• Early stage: Series A or Series B with up to $20M in external funding
• New GitLab customers only
• Must provide a Crunchbase or PitchBook profile, or a relevant VC or accelerator webpage, showing current funding

1. Gather a Crunchbase or PitchBook profile, or a VC or accelerator webpage, that shows your current funding
2. Complete the Apply now form on the GitLab for Startups page (all fields are required)
3. Answer any GitLab requests for more information; the team then reaches out to get you started

• 90% track: raised Pre-seed, Seed or Series A funding, but not Series B or later
• 90% track: affiliated with an approved HubSpot for Startups partner or have raised verified venture funding (checked via Pitchbook or Crunchbase)
• 30% track: associated with one of HubSpot's approved entrepreneurial organizations
• Applies to net-new Professional or Enterprise products only

1. Click Check your eligibility and answer a few questions (HubSpot verifies funding via Pitchbook or Crunchbase or your partner affiliation)
2. Create your HubSpot account and import your contacts, deals and data
3. Configure your tools with guided onboarding or self-serve resources

• Up to $10M in funding
• Fewer than 15 employees
• Not currently an Intercom customer

1. Check that you have up to $10M in funding, fewer than 15 employees and no current Intercom account
2. Click Apply now on the Early Stage page and sign up

• Incorporated less than five years ago
• Raised no more than $8 million (USD) in total funding
• Has not redeemed other Mixpanel offers and has not been on a paid Mixpanel plan
• No referral partner required; choose 'I do not have a referral partner' if you have none
• Must start sending data to Mixpanel within 90 days or be removed from the program

1. Confirm your startup meets the criteria (incorporated under 5 years ago, no more than $8M raised, never on a paid Mixpanel plan)
2. Submit the Mixpanel for Startups application form, choosing your referral partner or 'I do not have a referral partner'
3. Your account is set up on the Startup Plan; start sending data within 90 days (the free year starts at enrollment, so apply when ready to implement)

• Not a paying Notion customer and has not received a previous Notion promotion
• Valid work email (no Gmail, Outlook, etc.) and fewer than 100 employees
• 6 months: affiliated with one of Notion's select startup partners (VCs and accelerators)
• 3 months: valid business website and company-domain email; 1 month: SMBs with fewer than 10 employees, service-based businesses, or applicants whose startup status can't be fully verified

1. Check which tier you qualify for (partner affiliation, employee count, business website and company email)
2. Click Unlock your startup offer and fill out the application

• Company less than 2 years old
• Raised less than $5M in funding
• Signed up to PostHog on or after January 1, 2023 (earlier sign-ups can join the program but don't get credits)
• PostHog account must use your company's email domain; personal email addresses are not accepted
• Y Combinator companies have a separate deal that does not stack

1. Create a PostHog account with your company email address
2. Sign up to a paid plan in PostHog (you are only charged for usage)
3. Fill in the startup program form; PostHog applies the credit automatically if you're eligible and emails you when accepted

• Bootstrapped, angel-funded, debt-funded, pre-seed, seed or Series A startups
• Raised less than $10 million in total funding
• Founded within the last 10 years
• New customer on the monthly Team or Business plan (customers who have already paid for several billing cycles are not eligible)
• Cannot be combined with other sales discounts

1. Sign up for Retool and upgrade to the monthly Team or Business plan you want
2. Submit the Retool for Startups application
3. After the confirmation email, the 100% discount is applied automatically to your first invoice at the end of the first billing cycle

• Brand-new Zendesk subscriber (previous or active paid customers cannot participate)
• Has received outside funding (Angel, Pre-seed, Seed, Series A or Series B)
• Fewer than 250 employees; companies with 50–249 employees must be referred by a Zendesk partner
• Company under 10 years old

1. If your startup is affiliated with a VC or accelerator, get its Zendesk community referral link
2. Click Apply now and sign up with your work email
3. Before the free period ends, choose a paid plan to keep using Zendesk

• Veteran or military spouse who is the majority owner of the business
• Accelerator: validated or launched product/service (MVP) with early traction and potential to grow regionally or nationally; accepts companies from anywhere in the United States
• Incubator: founders with an idea but no product or revenue; must live in or commute to the cohort area
• Up to two founders per company; industry agnostic, with priority for national security and defense businesses

1. Choose the track: Incubator if you have an idea but no MVP or customers, Accelerator if you have an MVP and early customers
2. Submit the online application from the Accelerator or Incubator page ("Apply now")
3. The selection committee reviews applications monthly; shortlisted founders are invited to an interview
4. The committee makes final selections and program staff contact every applicant

• Legally registered U.S. business in good standing (international businesses are not eligible)
• Small business under SBA size standards, shown by an active SAM.gov registration as a small business under your primary NAICS code and a listing in the SBA Small Business Search, or an active SBA small business certification
• Primarily operates in one of Verizon's targeted sectors (listed by 3-digit NAICS code in the FAQ)
• Has completed the required introductory courses on Verizon Small Business Digital Ready

1. Register on Verizon Small Business Digital Ready and complete the required free Supplier Accelerator introductory courses
2. Confirm your business primarily operates in one of Verizon's targeted NAICS sectors and has SBA small business status (SAM.gov registration or SBA certification)
3. Agree to the program terms of service and continue to the IMPACT Ready partner site to verify eligibility
4. If you qualify, receive 18 months of sponsored IMPACT Ready access (up to 5,000 spots a year)

• Lead a North America-incorporated beauty brand company (for example, a U.S. LLC)
• Brand in its early stages and not yet widely distributed
• At least a working prototype or lab sample of product
• Founded or co-founded by a person aged 18+, who fills out the application and is the main participant
• Must be able to attend the full program, including in-person sessions; Sephora employees are not eligible

1. During the yearly window (March 2 to 31 in 2026), start the online application at accelerate.sephora.com and answer the eligibility questions
2. Tell Sephora about your brand and record a short video
3. Be ready to send product samples if asked; selected brands are notified by email by summer
4. Email acceleratesupport@sephora.com with any application problems

• Startups demonstrating traction, ideally between Seed and Series A
• Building a scalable product with a significant addressable market, preferably using technologies like machine learning and AI
• Commitment from the CTO and/or technical roles to take part in required program sessions
• Each regional program has its own specific requirements

1. Apply through the program page: https://startup.google.com/programs/accelerator/

• Emerging brands not yet on the shelves of Whole Foods Market
• Consumer packaged food, beverage and wellness brands

1. Apply through Whole Foods Market's LEAP application page on RangeMe (rangeme.com/wholefoodsmarketleap26), linked from the program announcement; 2026 applications opened June 2, 2026