Methods for Obtaining AWS Credits for Startups

The Official AWS Activate Program: A Legitimate Pathway to Credits​

The primary and recommended method for obtaining AWS credits is through the AWS Activate program. This program is specifically designed to support startups and early-stage entrepreneurs by providing them with the resources needed to build and scale their businesses on the Amazon Web Services platform.

There are two main tiers within the AWS Activate program:

• Activate Founders: This tier is tailored for self-funded or bootstrapped startups. Typically, eligible companies can receive an initial grant of AWS credits, often in the range of $1,000 to $5,000.
• Activate Portfolio: This tier is for startups that are backed by a venture capital firm, accelerator, or incubator that is an AWS Activate Provider. The credit amounts in this tier can be significantly higher, sometimes reaching up to $100,000 or more, depending on the partner and the startup's stage.

Key Requirements for AWS Activate:

To be eligible for the AWS Activate program, startups generally need to meet the following criteria:

• Be a new or early-stage company.
• Have a functioning website and a corporate email address.
• Not have previously received significant AWS credits.
• For the Portfolio tier, be associated with a registered AWS Activate Provider.

Applications are submitted directly through the AWS Activate website. The review process typically involves a verification of the startup's details and can take several days to a few weeks.

Partner Programs: An Alternative Route​

Many organizations in the startup ecosystem partner with AWS to offer credits to their members or portfolio companies. The article you referenced mentions Deel, a global payroll and compliance platform, as one such partner. Startups using Deel's services may be eligible to apply for AWS credits as a perk.

Other examples of partner programs include:

• Venture Capital Firms and Accelerators: Many leading VCs and accelerators like Y Combinator and Techstars have partnerships with AWS to provide substantial credits to the startups they invest in.
• Startup Platforms and Service Providers: Companies that offer services to startups, such as Stripe Atlas for incorporation, often include AWS credit offers as part of their packages.

Important Considerations and A Word of Caution​

The forum post you shared alludes to a method that involves editing or creating documents to meet verification requirements. It is crucial to understand the significant risks associated with such practices.

Submitting forged or altered documents to any platform, including Deel and AWS, is a fraudulent activity. The potential consequences can be severe and may include:

• Immediate rejection of your application.
• Permanent banning from AWS and partner platforms.
• Legal repercussions, including civil and criminal penalties.
• Forfeiture of any credits received.

Thanks for this,will look into it

So yeah the AWS Activate program seems like a pretty solid way for startups to get off the ground. It's cool they have different tiers like Founders and Portfolio depending on funding. It makes sense that the VC-backed ones get more credits because they're probably scaling faster. I'm a bit wary of that forum post though about faking documents. That's definitely not worth the risk. AWS has gotta have a ton of security measures to catch that kind of stuff. Besides getting banned or facing legal issues it just seems ethically wrong to me. Playing it straight and building a legitimate business is always the best long-term strategy. Plus there are other partner programs out there that might be a good fit without resorting to shady tactics.

what will be charges after this free period?

Nice guide, but you need more than just creating an account and hope that amazon accepts your project.

For high aws credit amounts, you need to actually proof that your project can get backed by VCs and actually grow, else you will get stuck with $1k-$5k credit amounts