Microsoft for Startups
Microsoft for Startups gives early-stage software startups Azure credits that grow with verified progress (Microsoft's pages say up to $150,000), plus technical guidance and go-to-market help. It replaced the Founders Hub name in July 2025. Microsoft's own pages state different starter credit amounts.123
Also known as Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub, Founders Hub
- Intended for
- Startup founders, Startup CTOs and engineering leads, Venture capital firms, accelerators and universities in the Investor Network
- Runs on
- Azure public cloud (sponsored subscription)
At a glance
- What is it?
- Microsoft for Startups is Microsoft's program for early-stage startups. Every startup applies through the website; startups with a 10-character referral code from a partner in the Microsoft for Startups Investor Network can unlock more benefits earlier. Credits apply to eligible Azure services on a sponsored subscription. On 2 Jul 2025 Microsoft restructured the program and retired the Founders Hub name, the Expert Network and the Champion Network. A later Microsoft for Startups blog post, dated 2 June (the year appears only in the page's image path, as 2026), introduced a single application path with credits tied to Azure adoption.1345
- What does it do?
- Startups get Azure credits on a sponsored subscription that converts to pay-as-you-go when credits run out or expire. Microsoft's October 2026 milestone page describes automatic tiers: $200 after sign-up and personal LinkedIn verification, $5,000 after business verification, $25,000 at 5 or more Azure workloads for 60 days, $50,000 at 7 or more, and $150,000 at 10 or more workloads with about $3,000 a month of usage for 60 days. Investor Network startups may also get Azure Standard Support, GPU infrastructure subject to availability, Marketplace and co-sell help, GitHub Enterprise (up to 20 users) and Microsoft 365 Business Premium (up to 50 seats).46
- Who needs it?
- Privately held, for-profit software startups from pre-seed to Series B that build on Azure, especially B2B companies working toward an MVP or product-market fit. The overview excludes companies that have raised Series C or later, received more than $350,000 in lifetime free Azure credits, or are educational institutions, government bodies, consultancies, agencies or crypto miners. Later-stage software companies selling through Microsoft Marketplace may fit Frontier Accelerate for Marketplace, which can be combined with Microsoft for Startups.147
- What does it need?4
- A software product or service owned by your company; privately held and for-profit
- Headquarters in a country where Azure and the program are available
- Funding stage: pre-seed to Series B (application page); not Series C or later (overview)
- A personal Microsoft account with no prior Azure account, and a payment card
- A personal LinkedIn profile for the open path, or a 10-character Investor Network referral code
- Registered business name and address that match legal documents, for business verification
- What it is not
- Credits are not cash and do not cover everything: non-Azure products, support plans, Azure Marketplace purchases and models from third-party providers such as Anthropic are not covered, while Azure-sold Foundry models, Fireworks on Foundry and AKS are. GitHub usage counts only after you link the Azure subscription as the GitHub payment method. Founders Hub no longer exists as a name. Pegasus is a separate, invite-only program, and ISV Success has been folded into Frontier Accelerate for Marketplace.789
Availability and licensing. Checked 26 Oct 2026; Microsoft pages disagree. Milestones page (22 Oct 2026): $200, $5,000, $25,000, $50,000, $150,000. Application page: $200 open path, $1,000 with investor code. FAQ (ms.date 21 May 2026): $2,000 for 90 days plus $4,800 after verification; investor offer most begin at $100,000; credits valid up to two years, no extensions (milestones page: one-time two-year extension at $25,000). July 2025 page: investor offer from $100,000.3610
The problem it solves
Early-stage startups need cloud capacity, AI models and developer tools before they have revenue, and later need introductions to enterprise buyers. Cloud bills can grow quickly once a product gains users.
Microsoft for Startups offsets early Azure spend with credits that increase as the startup verifies its business and adopts more Azure services, and adds go-to-market support through Microsoft Marketplace and co-selling for startups that qualify.
How it works
- Apply from the Microsoft for Startups site with a personal Microsoft account that has no prior Azure account (work, school and company-domain emails are not accepted) and payment card details.
- Choose a path: without a referral code, verify identity with a personal LinkedIn profile and receive $200 in starter credits; with an investor code, submit business details and receive $1,000 in starter credits while Microsoft reviews the application, typically within three business days.
- Grow credits: Microsoft evaluates usage automatically and raises the credit limit at each milestone; each counted workload must stay above $1 of spend every day for 60 days, and milestones can be skipped.
- Use credits on eligible Azure services, Azure-sold Foundry models and, after linking billing, GitHub services such as GitHub Copilot, Codespaces and Actions.
- Transition: when credits are used up or expire, the subscription converts to pay-as-you-go.
Microsoft's pages state credit amounts differently; the availability note lists each source.468
Diagram as a list
Copilot & business apps
- Founder and startup teamApplies, builds and tracks creditsConnects to Microsoft for Startups application and Azure portal
AI models & platform
- Microsoft Foundry models sold by AzureAI models covered by credits
Developer tools
- GitHub services billed via Azure (Copilot, Codespaces, Actions)Developer tools paid from credits after linking
Cloud & hybrid infrastructure
- Azure sponsored subscriptionHolds credits; converts to pay-as-you-go at the end
- Eligible Azure services (compute, containers including AKS, data, storage)Workloads that draw down credits
Programs & resources
- Investor Network referral codeUnlocks expanded benefits for investor-backed startupsConnects to Microsoft for Startups application and Azure portal
- Microsoft for Startups application and Azure portalApplication, benefits and program support
- Credit milestone evaluationRaises credit limits as workloads and usage are sustainedConnects to Azure sponsored subscription
- Frontier Accelerate for MarketplaceLater-stage program for selling through Microsoft Marketplace
Capabilities
Milestone-based Azure credits6
Credit limits rise automatically from $200 to $5,000, $25,000, $50,000 and $150,000 as the startup verifies its business and sustains Azure workloads and usage.
Why it matters: Credits track real adoption rather than a single upfront grant.
Limits: The sponsorship is cancelled if business verification is not done within 90 days of sign-up or by $200 of usage, or if the $25,000 milestone is not reached within 180 days of business verification.
Investor Network benefits610
Startups backed by a partner in the Investor Network can receive up to $150,000 in total credits, Azure Standard Support, GPU-enabled infrastructure, technical guidance and product offers.
Why it matters: Investor-backed startups reach larger benefits earlier.
Limits: A referral code from the investor is required; Microsoft does not publish the investor list; GPU access is subject to availability.
Credit coverage rules8
Credits cover standard Azure consumption on the sponsored subscription, including AKS automatically and models sold directly by Azure, including Fireworks on Foundry.
Why it matters: Helps founders design an architecture that credits actually pay for.
Limits: Non-Azure products, support plans, Azure Marketplace purchases and third-party models such as Anthropic are not covered.
GitHub billing through credits8
Eligible usage-based GitHub services, such as GitHub Copilot, Codespaces and Actions, can be paid from credits once the Azure subscription is the GitHub payment method.
Why it matters: Keeps developer tooling and cloud spend on one budget.
Limits: Not covered by default; the GitHub billing model must support metered billing through Azure.
Go-to-market support19
Marketplace readiness, co-sell opportunities with Microsoft sellers and, for eligible startups, a dedicated point of contact; Pegasus adds curated enterprise introductions by invitation.
Why it matters: Helps startups sell to enterprises that buy through Microsoft.
Limits: Most go-to-market benefits depend on eligibility review; Pegasus is invite-only and publishes no criteria or credit amounts.
Route to Frontier Accelerate for Marketplace7
A Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program offering for software companies that build, publish and grow on Microsoft Marketplace; it consolidates ISV Success and related benefits.
Why it matters: The next program once a startup publishes and sells through Marketplace.
Limits: Requires Partner Program membership and a B2B solution for repeatable sales; Premium has a list price of $1,550 per year.
Practical use cases
A seed-stage AI startup needs to prototype a model-powered feature with little cash.
- Approach
- Apply, then build on Azure-sold Foundry models with App Service or Container Apps and Key Vault, and set budgets on the sponsored subscription.
- Role of Microsoft for Startups
- Credits pay for eligible Azure and Foundry usage while the product is tested.
- Data, infrastructure and skills
- An eligible company, a personal Microsoft account and a payment card.
- Type of benefit
- Lower early cloud cost
- Caveats
- Anthropic and other third-party or Marketplace models are not covered; credits expire and the subscription then bills normally.
- First step
- Create Azure budgets at 50, 80 and 100 percent of expected credit burn before deploying.
A small team wants GitHub Copilot and Actions paid from its startup credits.
- Approach
- Add the sponsored Azure subscription as the payment method in GitHub billing.
- Role of Microsoft for Startups
- GitHub usage-based services bill against the Azure credits.
- Data, infrastructure and skills
- A sponsored subscription and a GitHub billing model that supports metered billing through Azure.
- Type of benefit
- Consolidated billing
- Caveats
- Only eligible usage-based GitHub services are covered; nothing is covered before linking.
- First step
- In GitHub billing settings, add an Azure subscription as the payment method.
A VC-backed startup is preparing to sell to enterprises.
- Approach
- Apply with the investor referral code for expanded credits, Azure Standard Support and Marketplace and co-sell help; move to Frontier Accelerate for Marketplace once the offer is published.
- Role of Microsoft for Startups
- The program adds credits, support and routes to Microsoft sellers.
- Data, infrastructure and skills
- A referral code from an Investor Network partner and a B2B product.
- Type of benefit
- Enterprise reach
- Caveats
- Benefits depend on eligibility review, and credit figures differ across Microsoft pages.
- First step
- Ask your investor or accelerator for its 10-character code.
Works with
Optional integration
- Microsoft FoundryStartup credits cover Foundry models sold directly by Azure, including Fireworks on Foundry.
- Microsoft Foundry ModelsAzure-sold models are covered by credits; third-party models such as Anthropic are not.
- GitHub CopilotGitHub Copilot usage can be paid from credits after linking the Azure subscription as the GitHub payment method.
- Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)AKS usage on a sponsored subscription is covered automatically while credits last.
Relationship labels follow Microsoft's documentation. "Alternative approaches" does not mean one is better: each profile says when it fits.
Getting started
Check eligibility
Compare your company with both the overview and the application page criteria, which differ (for example, B2B focus appears only on the application page).
Check: You meet the stricter combination of both lists.
Prepare accounts
Use a personal Microsoft account with no prior Azure account, a payment card, your registered company details and, optionally, a referral code.
Check: The company name and address match your legal documents.
Apply
Start from the Microsoft for Startups site; choose the path with or without a referral code and complete Azure sign-up.
Check: The startup dashboard shows starter credits ($200 or $1,000).
Complete business verification
Verify the business within 90 days of sign-up and before usage reaches $200 on the open path.
Check: The credit limit rises to the next milestone.
Track milestones and spend
Keep each counted workload above $1 of daily spend for 60 days and watch budgets and alerts.
Check: Azure Cost Management shows spend within planned budgets.
Official resources
Deciding whether you need it?
Three free tools apply Microsoft's own published guidance to your situation, and say when Microsoft for Startups or any new technology is not needed.
Sources
Each statement above links to the source it comes from. Labels say who reported it.
- What is Microsoft for Startups? (opens in a new tab)
- Microsoft for Startups home page (opens in a new tab)
- Changes to the Microsoft for Startups program: July 2, 2025 (opens in a new tab)
- Overview of the Microsoft for Startups application process (opens in a new tab)
- Microsoft for Startups introduces a clearer path from AI development to enterprise growth (blog, dated June 2) (opens in a new tab)
- Unlock additional benefits with the Microsoft for Startups standard program (opens in a new tab)
- Frontier Accelerate for Marketplace: frequently asked questions (opens in a new tab)
- Best ways to use your startup credits (opens in a new tab)
- Microsoft for Startups Pegasus Program (opens in a new tab)
- Microsoft for Startups: frequently asked questions (opens in a new tab)
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