The startup directory compares current application status and amounts. This guide helps you decide which application to prepare, without treating a headline ceiling as money already granted.
1. Match your company to an open route
| Your situation | Route to check | What you must establish |
|---|---|---|
| Self-funded startup | AWS Activate Founders | Pre-Series B, founded within 10 years, eligible prior-credit history and a paid AWS plan |
| No institutional equity yet | Google Start | Current Start-tier criteria, an MVP and the programme’s funding conditions |
| B2B software or AI startup | Microsoft for Startups | Privately held, pre-seed through Series B, eligible region and account |
| Backed by an accelerator or VC | AWS Portfolio / Google Scale | Relevant partner ID or qualifying funding round; not simply any investment |
| Funded open-model startup | DeepInfra DeepStart | $250K–$10M raised and founded within two years, subject to application approval |
| Seeking Claude’s general cohort | Claude Startups | Closed to new applications; current members retain access |
| Backed by an Anthropic partner VC | Separate Claude API-credit route | Ask that VC about eligibility; up to $100,000 is conditional, not guaranteed |
Google’s programme pages have differed on company-age limits. Follow the current criteria for your exact route rather than borrowing the limit from another tier. Do not misstate founding dates or funding to fit a programme.
2. Check the actual product your credit pays for
AWS Activate can cover eligible third-party models on Bedrock, including Claude. Its Founders entry starts at $1,000, with up to $5,000 for qualifying participants; Portfolio can reach $200,000 with an Activate Provider association. The paid-plan prerequisite means you must also understand normal AWS charges. See the Activate application guide.
Google Start offers up to $2,000 for 12 months. Scale offers up to $200,000 over two years; AI-first programmes can reach $350,000. These are ceilings, and year two covers only 20% of eligible usage, up to $100,000. Third-party models are excluded. Google requires a Cloud Billing account; payment arrangements depend on account type and country.
Microsoft for Startups currently documents $1,000 starter credits and approval-dependent expansion up to $150,000. It covers eligible models sold and billed directly by Azure, including Azure OpenAI; Anthropic and other excluded Marketplace models need separate payment. Card details are required. The Microsoft claim guide explains the account and verification steps.
DeepStart describes about 50 billion tokens, calculated at DeepSeek V4 Flash prices. That is not a $50 billion award or an identical number of tokens on every model. Credits expire a year after approval. DeepInfra’s service requires a card or prepayment; the programme does not say whether a grant changes that requirement.
3. Separate the application clock from the credit clock
An application being open does not mean an award has no expiry. Do not start spending until approval and the credit balance are visible. Record the activation or issue date, the console’s expiry and the eligible billing account. We have not submitted applications or measured provider approval times.
Microsoft advertises 90 days for an initial Azure for Startups stage and 180 days after verification; those windows do not establish the validity of every $150,000 award. For other programmes, use the award-specific terms linked from each offer.
4. Plan the bill after the benefit
Microsoft states that sponsorship converts to pay as you go when credits are used or expire. Google Scale’s year-two co-payment is a cost even while credits remain. Budget alerts notify you; they are not hard spending caps. Check model exclusions, paid-plan requirements and cancellation settings before starting a workload.
If Claude is essential, use the Claude route guide. If you do not yet have a qualifying company, use an API free tier or a time-limited trial.