AWS Activate — Founders
Amazon Web Services · Hyperscaler
$5KStarts at $1,000 in AWS Activate Credits; select participants may qualify for up to $5,000
Entry-level AWS credits for bootstrapped or self-funded startups, applied for directly without an investor Org ID.
Key terms
- Must be pre-Series B and founded within the last 10 years
- AWS account must be on a Paid Tier Plan
- Must be new to Activate Credits or requesting more than previously received
- Credits subject to AWS Promotional Credit Terms & Conditions
Eligibility
- Where
- Worldwide
- Stages
- idea, pre-seed, seed, series-a
- Max company age
- 10 years
- Needs VC/accelerator backing
- No
- Needs partner referral code
- No
- Must be incorporated
- Yes
- AI focus required
- No
- Students / researchers
- Not eligible
- Nonprofits
- Not eligible
Also required
- Intended for bootstrapped / self-funded startups
- Pre-Series B only
How to apply
Create an AWS Builder ID with a professional email, choose Activate Founders, describe your startup, link an AWS account and submit.
- Benefit
- credits
- Equity-free
- Yes
- Decision time
- 5–10 business days
- Credit validity
- —
- Deadline
- Rolling
- Status
- Open
Verified 2026-10-22 · source