AWS Activate
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Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
Program Description
Offers AWS Activate credits to pre-Series B startups founded within the last 10 years, with tiered awards from $1,000 for the Founders tier up to $200,000 for Portfolio tier startups and additional credits for AI startups.
Eligibility Requirements
- Must be pre-Series B
- Must have been founded in the last 10 years
- Must have an AWS account on a paid tier plan
- Must be new to Activate Credits, or requesting more credits than previously received
- Must have a fully functioning company website
- Activate Founders tier (self-funded/bootstrapped): apply directly
- Activate Portfolio tier: requires an Organization ID from an AWS Activate Provider such as an accelerator, angel investor, or venture capital firm; the most recent funding round must be within the last 12 months (if applicable), and the startup must not have previously received AWS Activate Credits of equal or greater value
- AWS Credits for AI Startups is invite-only for startups scaling past Activate Portfolio
- Credits are in-kind AWS consumption, not cash
- Government entities are not eligible to participate in the programme
Quick Assessment
Funding Details
- Amount
- Up to $200,000 USD in AWS Activate Credits (Activate Founders: start with $1,000, select participants up to $5,000; Activate Portfolio: up to $200,000; AWS Credits for AI Startups: $200,000+, invite only)
- Type
- Program
- Level
- Private
- Deadline
- Ongoing / no fixed deadline
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
Everything you need to win AWS Activate
Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.
- 4-document checklist with what each reviewer is actually checking
- 6-step application timeline with prep hours per step
- Insider tip from program officers on what separates winners
- Success profile + evaluation criteria — exactly what reviewers score on
How to Win
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
Insider TipUse a company-domain email address, not a personal one, and track your credit expiry since credits typically expire 12–24 months after issuance; AI startups should ask their AWS Activate Provider about additional credit options.
Evaluation Criteria
Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
Application Steps
Required Documents 4
Eligible Expenses 5
Ineligible Expenses 8
Intake Periods
Deadline Notes
Ineligible Organizations
Applying for AWS Activate? Our Grant Proposal Template ($19) mirrors the section structure Canadian reviewers actually score on. Or get all 4 templates in the Founder Pack ($59 · saves $27) →
Funding Stack Strategy
Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential
Stacking partner data not yet available.
Clawback Risk
Low RiskHow AWS Activate Compares
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Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about AWS Activate