Microsoft
Microsoft for Startups
Up to $150,000 Azure credits
Manually reviewed by our team
Microsoft for Startups provides milestone-based Azure credits, AI tools, GitHub benefits, and go-to-market resources for qualifying early-stage companies.
At a glance
Eligibility, benefit timing, and terms
Eligibility
- Bootstrapped founders eligible
- Separate legal entities may apply independently where terms allow
Benefit and tiers
- Milestone track$150K
When you get it
The initial allocation and later increases are unlocked through verified Azure usage milestones.
Duration and limits
24 months
Confirm the current credit expiration and eligible Azure products in the Microsoft startup account.
- • Milestones require qualifying Azure deployment and verification
- • Azure OpenAI usage is charged against the Azure credit balance
Last terms check: 2026-08-10
Official termsMicrosoft unlocks higher Azure credit milestones as an approved startup deploys qualifying Azure workloads.
Program tiers
| Tier | Value | Access | When / duration | Notes and limits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milestone track | $150K | self serve | Unlocked progressively as qualifying Azure usage milestones are verified 24 months | Unlocks through sustained Azure deployment milestones |
Eligibility
- Bootstrapped founders eligible
- Separate legal entities may apply independently where terms allow
How to apply
- 1Open the current Microsoft for Startups page and choose the application path.
- 2Complete Microsoft identity, business, and eligibility verification.
- 3Deploy qualifying Azure workloads to unlock higher credit milestones.
Important notes
- Credits unlock through verified Azure usage milestones, starting at $1,000 on the current Microsoft application and expanding up to $150,000 for approved startups; Azure OpenAI usage is charged against these Azure credits.