Azure startup credit offer (self-serve)
Microsoft·United States
The no-referral Azure credit path: $1,000 for 90 days, then a further $4,000 for 180 days once the business is verified.
What you get
“If you're new to Azure, you can start with the Azure startup credit offer: $1,000 for 90 days, then an additional $4,000 for 180 days after business verification.”
Can you apply
To be eligible for Microsoft for Startups, your company must meet the following criteria: Develop a software-based product or service that is owned by your company; Be privately held and for-profit; Be headquartered in a country where Azure services are available; Not have received more than $350,000 in lifetime free Azure credits; Not have raised Series C funding or later; Not be an educational institution, government organization, consultancy, or agency; Not be involved in cryptocurrency mining.
When
Always open, applications reviewed on a rolling basis.
What Microsoft funds
Microsoft for Startups gives privately held, pre-Series C software startups Azure credits plus AI tooling and go-to-market support. Everyone applies through the same door, but the credit ceiling jumps by roughly 20x when the application carries a referral code from a Microsoft for Startups Investor Network partner.
Everything Microsoft funds →Details
Microsoft's own docs also state that startups may "unlock up to $150K in Startup credits over time as your startup demonstrates verified progress, service adoption, and sustained Azure usage", but the only self-serve amounts Microsoft publishes are the $1,000 and $4,000 steps below. Credits must be activated within 90 days of accepting the program agreement.