Microsoft for Startups is a program that helps founders overcome common startup challenges by providing access to AI services, expert guidance, and essential technology. The program offers benefits like free Startup credits, AI tools, and resources to help you build, scale, and sell your solutions.

The Microsoft for Startups portal supports startups by providing access to various resources, benefits, and programs. Startups can tap into pre-built marketing materials, industry-leading AI services, expert guidance, and essential technology to help build and scale their businesses.

Microsoft for Startups provides a range of technical benefits designed to help startups build and scale their businesses. These benefits include: 
Free Startup credits: Startups receive Startup credits to help them get started with building their solutions
quickly and efficiently on the Azure platform. 
Access to AI tools: Startups can leverage industry-leading AI services and tools for software development, enabling them
to create innovative and intelligent applications. 
Technical resources: Startups have access to various resources that assist in building better products, scaling faster, and
increasing sales. This includes documentation, guides, and support to help with replication and modernization journeys.

Startup credits can be applied across eligible Azure services to support your startup from early development through production workloads.
Build and test your product
Use credits for core development and testing needs, including: 

• Virtual Machines
• Storage and networking
• Developer workflows with GitHub and Azure DevOps
  

Build with AI and data servics
Apply credits to eligible AI and data services, such as: 

• Foundry Tools
• Azure OpenAI services
• Azure Machine Learning
  

Run and scale in production
Support real, customer‑facing products with production‑ready services: 

• Application hosting with Azure App Service
• Containerized workloads with Azure Kubernetes Service

 After you're approved for Microsoft for Startups, you can start building right away with Startup credits for early development and testing, and unlock up to $5,000 in Startup credits through business verification. As your product evolves and you adopt more Azure services with sustained usage, additional Startup credits unlock, supporting your path from MVP to production. Startups can unlock up to $150,000 in Startup credits over time as they build and scale on Azure, all within one unified program that grows with you.

Once your Startup credits are fully used, you can continue running your workloads on Azure as a standard customer. Your applications and production environments stay live without disruption, and you simply transition to Azure’s standard pay‑as‑you‑go pricing as your business grows. This ensures continuity as you move from startup support to long‑term scale.

Microsoft for Startups helps startups reach enterprise buyers by enabling publication to the Microsoft Commercial Marketplace. Customers can purchase using existing contracts and Azure budgets, making procurement easier. Eligible startups can also access partner distribution and Microsoft seller co‑sell opportunities to shorten sales cycles and scale revenue.

Microsoft for Startups supports founders with technical resources, documentation, and guidance to help build, deploy, and scale on Azure. Startups can access AI tools, cloud infrastructure guidance, and best practices early on. As startups grow and adopt more services, additional technical and go‑to‑market support options may become available based on usage and eligibility.

Microsoft for Startups is designed for early‑stage startups building software products, including AI‑powered and cloud‑based applications. The program supports founders and teams from idea and MVP stages through scaling production workloads and selling to customers.

Yes. You can apply whether you’re just getting started or already using another cloud. Every startup joins Microsoft for Startups the same way. Apply through our website, get started with Startup credits, and begin building on Azure right away. There’s no requirement to migrate everything at once. You can start where it makes sense and unlock more credits and support over time as you build and scale on Azure.