Microsoft for Startups — Azure startup credits (direct)
Microsoft · Hyperscaler
$150K$200 Azure credits on sign-up, $5,000 after business verification, then automatic milestone upgrades to $25K / $50K / up to $150,000 based on Azure workload adoption and sustained usage
Azure credits for startups new to Azure that are not affiliated with an investor, with a path to larger credits as usage grows.
Key terms
- Pre-seed through Series B; B2B startups building software, AI or tech, at or working toward MVP; privately held and independent (not a subsidiary); HQ in a region where Microsoft for Startups operates
- Milestones: $200 on sign-up (personal LinkedIn verification), $5,000 after business verification as a registered legal entity, $25K (5+ Azure workloads ~60 days), $50K (7+ workloads), $150K (10+ workloads and ~$3,000/month Azure usage for ~60 days)
- Excludes educational institutions, government orgs, consultancies, agencies and crypto miners
- Credits must be activated within 90 days of accepting the agreement; credit card required; non-transferable; personal Microsoft account with no prior Azure account
Eligibility
- Where
- Worldwide
- Stages
- idea, pre-seed, seed, series-a, growth
- 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
- Must be new to Azure for the startup credit offer
How to apply
Apply at startups.microsoft.com ('Get started'); set up Azure with the same Microsoft account used to register.
- Benefit
- credits
- Equity-free
- Yes
- Decision time
- ~3 business days
- Credit validity
- 90 + 180 days
- Deadline
- Rolling
- Status
- Open
Verified 2026-10-22 · source