Microsoft for Startups gives eligible startups Azure credits that Microsoft says can reach up to $150,000, unlocked over time as your startup is verified and uses Azure. You qualify if you build a software-based product you own, are privately held and for-profit, have not raised Series C funding or later, and apply with a personal Microsoft account. All figures are as of October 2026 and come from Microsoft's own pages.
This guide covers:
- How the program is structured today, and what happened to the "Founders Hub" name
- The Azure credit levels Microsoft states, with and without an investor
- Who is eligible and who is excluded
- How to apply, step by step
- What the credits cover, including Foundry models and what Microsoft says about virtual machines
- How long credits last and what happens when they end
Takeaways:
- Microsoft says startups can "unlock up to $150K in Startup credits over time", and that startups backed by a partner in its Investor Network may unlock higher-value benefits earlier.
- Without an investor you can still join. Microsoft's own pages disagree on the starter amount ($200 in the application guide, $1,000 in the main FAQ), so trust what your dashboard shows.
- You must activate credits within 90 days of accepting the program agreement. Once activated they are "valid for up to two years" and extensions are not available.
- Credits cover Azure products billed as standard Azure consumption. Third-party products and Microsoft Support Plans "might not be covered", and GitHub needs extra setup.
What Is Microsoft for Startups?
Microsoft describes the program as providing "Startup credits, AI capabilities on Azure, dedicated startup guidance, and go-to-market resources". Every startup joins the same way, by applying on the website, and then benefits scale: "the program expands with them through increased Startup credits, dedicated support, and enterprise go-to-market opportunities." Eligible startups may also get a dedicated Microsoft for Startups point of contact.
If you searched for "Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub": Microsoft's current official pages call the program Microsoft for Startups, and none of the pages used for this guide mention Founders Hub. Apply through the Microsoft for Startups pages linked below, and be wary of third-party pages that still use the old name.
Microsoft for Startups Azure Credit Levels
Microsoft describes "a single-entry point with benefits that scale", and none of the pages used here name separate tiers. In practice there are two starting paths.
| Path | What Microsoft states |
|---|---|
| No investor referral code | Starter credits at account creation. The application guide says "$200 in starter credits"; the main FAQ says "$1,000 for 90 days, then an additional $4,000 for 180 days after business verification"; a second FAQ page says "$200 for 90 days, then an additional $4,000 for 180 days" |
| Investor referral code | "most startups begin with $100,000, with the opportunity to earn more" |
| Over time, either path | "Up to $150K in Startup credits over time as your startup demonstrates verified progress, service adoption, and sustained Azure usage" |
Because the starter figures conflict across Microsoft's own pages, treat the amount shown in your Azure portal as the one that counts. Microsoft also states a ceiling on how much free Azure credit you can have had: eligibility requires that you "not have received more than $350,000 in lifetime free Azure credits".
The investor offer is the bigger one. Microsoft says it includes Azure credits, Azure Standard Support, access to technical experts, go-to-market support, and discounts or free offers such as GitHub Enterprise, LinkedIn Premium Business, Microsoft 365 Business Premium, Visual Studio Enterprise, Dynamics 365 and Power Platform. To use it you need a 10-character referral code from an investor, accelerator, incubator, angel network, university or similar organization in Microsoft's Investor Network. Microsoft does not publish the list of participating investors, so ask yours directly.
Microsoft for Startups Eligibility
The overview page says your company must:
- 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
The application guide frames the program as for "early-stage, B2B startups" at "pre-seed through Series C" stage, working toward or at MVP, and independent rather than "subsidiaries of larger organizations". The two pages word the Series C line differently, so if you are at or near Series C, confirm in the application.
Account Rules That Trip People Up
Microsoft says the program "requires a new eligible personal Microsoft account", and that work, school and company-domain accounts "aren't accepted". An account is ineligible if you previously used it with Azure Free Trial, Azure for Students, previous Microsoft for Startups offers or other Azure sponsorship or promotional offers. If the "Already redeemed" error appears, the Microsoft account has already redeemed credits from another Microsoft program.
How to Apply to Microsoft for Startups
- Gather your details. Microsoft lists a personal Microsoft account with no prior Azure account, phone number, time zone, registered startup name (it "must match your legal documents"), industry, website if you have one, address and payment information.
- Start at the program page. Go to the Microsoft for Startups page and choose "Get started now".
- Sign in with a personal Microsoft account. Create one if needed. Do not use a work or company email.
- Enter your referral code, or continue without one. With a 10-character code you enter contact details, verify your email and phone, and give business information. Without a code you go straight to Azure account creation and verify with LinkedIn rather than completing the longer form.
- Create your Azure account. This is a 3-step flow covering profile, billing address and payment information. A credit card is required for "identity verification, usage of services not covered by credits, and seamless transition to pay-as-you-go once credits expire". You cannot change the country or region later.
- Wait for the decision. Microsoft says "Applications are typically reviewed within three business days". Once approved you see expanded credits and benefits in the Azure portal.
You cannot edit a submitted application. If it is declined, Microsoft says you may reapply after 14 days.
What Microsoft for Startups Credits Cover
Microsoft's rule of thumb: "if the service is an Azure product billed as standard Azure consumption, it will draw down credits while they are available on your sponsored subscription." Its credits page names these credit-backed services:
- Compute and containers: Azure App Service, Functions, Container Apps and Virtual Machines, plus Azure Kubernetes Service, which is "automatically covered" on a sponsored subscription
- Data and storage: PostgreSQL Flexible Server, Azure SQL Database, Cosmos DB, AI Search, Blob Storage, Files and managed disks
- Networking, security and monitoring: Front Door, Application Gateway, Entra ID, Key Vault, Azure Monitor and more
The same page says a non-Azure product, a Microsoft Support Plan or a third-party purchase made through Azure "might not be covered". GitHub is a separate case: "GitHub usage is not covered by startup credits out-of-the-box", and you must connect your Azure subscription as a payment method in GitHub first.
Azure AI and Foundry Models
Microsoft's page says "Models sold directly by Azure and billed through your Azure subscription are covered with your startup credits. Models from partners and community will have separate billing and invoicing." A dedicated coverage page names Anthropic, Hugging Face and select Cohere, Meta and Mistral AI models as not covered, and points to the "Direct from Azure" collection in the Foundry portal for models that are. It also says Fireworks models, being "billed and sold through Azure", are covered. The pages do not list individual models, and coverage "may change over time", so check the collection before you build on a model.
Do the Credits Cover GPU Virtual Machines?
Microsoft lists Azure Virtual Machines as a credit-backed compute service, but none of the pages used here name GPU VM sizes as covered or excluded. Check your subscription's billing view and quota before planning a training run.
Expiry and Activation
- Activation window: "You must activate your Azure credits within 90 days of accepting the Microsoft for Startups program agreement." Miss it and the offer expires, and you must reapply.
- Duration: "Once activated, Azure credits provided through Microsoft for Startups are valid for up to two years. Extensions are not available."
- Not transferable: credits are "permanently tied to the subscription you create during redemption".
- When credits end: the subscription "automatically transitions to pay-as-you-go", so workloads keep running and billing starts.
What to Plan For When Azure Credits Run Out
Because the move to pay-as-you-go is automatic, set Azure budget alerts early. Microsoft suggests monthly subscription budgets at 50, 80 and 100 percent of expected credit burn.
If your workload is GPU-heavy, confirm early that the VM sizes you need draw down credits. When credits end, Aquanode rents GPUs by the hour (see pricing), has per-GPU pages such as H100, and offers a GPU recommender to size a workload before you spend.
For the wider picture, read the startup cloud credits overview. If you are also considering other programs, see the AWS Activate guide, the Google for Startups Cloud Program guide and the NVIDIA Inception guide.
FAQ
Is Microsoft for Startups the same as Founders Hub?
Microsoft's current official pages use only the name Microsoft for Startups, and none of the pages used here mention Founders Hub. Apply through the Microsoft for Startups pages and follow what they say.
How much Azure credit can you get?
Microsoft says "up to $150K in Startup credits over time". On the investor offer, Microsoft says "most startups begin with $100,000, with the opportunity to earn more". Without a code you start with a smaller starter amount that Microsoft states inconsistently ($200 or $1,000).
Can you join without an investor?
Yes. Microsoft says "If you're new to Azure, you can start with the Azure startup credit offer", and that if you later receive a referral code you can apply to the investor offer.
Do the credits cover Azure OpenAI and other AI models?
Microsoft says models "sold directly by Azure" and billed to your subscription are covered, and partner models billed separately are not. It does not list models by name on the pages used here, so check the "Direct from Azure" collection in Foundry.
Can you stack Microsoft credits with AWS or Google credits?
Microsoft's eligibility rule caps free Azure credits at $350,000 lifetime and says nothing about credits from other clouds on the pages used here. AWS and Google run their own applications; see the AWS and Google guides.
Sources
- Microsoft for Startups: "up to $150,000 in credits" headline
- What is Microsoft for Startups?: program structure, eligibility, review time
- Overview of the Microsoft for Startups application process: steps, referral code, $200 starter credits, account rules
- Microsoft for Startups FAQ: credit offers, activation, expiry, investor offer
- Microsoft for Startups FAQ (Other): account eligibility, $200 starter wording
- Best ways to use your startup credits: covered services, GitHub, Foundry
- Sponsorship coverage for Microsoft Foundry models: covered and uncovered model sources
