Startup Credits for AI in India: What AWS, Google, Microsoft and Sarvam Actually Offer
Credits pay your cloud and API bills for a while. They don't pay salaries, and some of the programmes people recommend are closed. What each one gives, who qualifies, and what we could not confirm.
यह लेख हिंदी में पढ़ेंStartup Credits for AI in India: What AWS, Google, Microsoft and Sarvam Actually Offer
Most 'free credits for startups' lists online are a month or two behind, and several still show programmes as open that have closed. This is what we could confirm on 29 October 2026, with the page each fact came from at the end. Where we couldn't read the provider's own page, we say so.
What credits are, and what they aren't
Credits are prepaid cloud or API usage. They cover the bill for compute, storage and model calls for a limited time. They don't cover salaries, ads or a lawyer, and when they run out your real costs show up. Plan the day they end before you build on them.
AWS Activate: the easiest to start with
AWS has two main routes. Activate Founders is for bootstrapped teams: you start with $1,000 in credits, and some startups can reach $5,000. Activate Portfolio goes up to $200,000, but you need an Organization ID from an Activate Provider, which means an accelerator, angel or VC that has joined the programme. There is also a $200,000+ tier for AI startups that is invite-only.
- You need to be pre-Series B and founded within the last 10 years.
- Your AWS account must be on a paid plan, and you need a working website.
- AWS says you will hear back within 5 to 10 business days, and that it can accept or reject any application.
- Credits are in US dollars. AWS's page doesn't state an expiry, so read the promotional credit terms before you spend them.
For a first-time founder without an investor, this is the realistic starting point. Put your website live before you apply, because it is a stated requirement.
Google for Startups Cloud Program (AI tier)
Google's AI programme is quoted as up to $350,000 in Google Cloud credits over two years, covering Gemini and Gemma. Third-party models such as Claude on Vertex are billed separately. The eligibility quoted from Google's page is venture funding between seed and Series A, a company founded in the last 10 years, and no more than $5,000 in Google Cloud credits received before.
Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub
Third-party listings give a headline of up to $150,000 in Azure credits, with a far smaller entry tier. Whether the larger amounts need an investor referral depends on which source you read. We found no official 2026 statement of the exact amounts, or of any OpenAI credits, and Microsoft's own page didn't load for us. We would rather tell you that than print a number we can't stand behind.
Sarvam's startup programme
Sarvam, the Indian AI company, announced a programme in March 2026 for selected early-stage startups. It gives six to twelve months of API credits 'matched to scale' for speech-to-text, text-to-speech, translation, chat and document intelligence, across English and more than 22 Indian languages, plus priority support and direct access to its engineers. No credit amount was published, and the report we read gave no application window. If you build for Hindi or regional-language users, ask them directly.
Claude for Startups is closed right now
Several blogs still list this as open. Anthropic's own programme page says the current cohort is full and new applications aren't being taken. It describes up to $45,000 in discounts and credits from companies building with Claude, and says startups backed by a VC in Anthropic's partner network may claim up to $100,000 in extra API credits through that VC. These credits work only on Anthropic's own API, not on AWS, Google Cloud or Azure.
How I'd go about it
- Get the basics ready first: a registered company, a live website and a business email. Several programmes ask for all three.
- Apply to AWS Activate Founders. It is the one that doesn't need an investor.
- If you have angel or VC backing, ask them whether they are an Activate Provider or have a Microsoft or Google referral. Many do and never mention it.
- Apply once to each programme. Repeat applications with no new reason can hurt you.
- Write the end date of every credit in a sheet the day you get it.
A caution: never pay anyone to 'get you' credits. Programmes give them for free, and agents who charge a fee are mostly reselling a form you can fill in yourself.
We keep this list, with the date we last checked each programme, on the free AI offers page.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
Which AI startup credits are easiest to get in India?
AWS Activate Founders, which starts at $1,000 and needs no investor. It requires a company founded in the last 10 years, a working website and an AWS account on a paid plan.
Is Claude for Startups open?
Not right now. Anthropic's programme page says the current cohort is full and new applications aren't being accepted.
Can I buy credits or pay someone to get them?
You shouldn't. Providers give credits free through their own programmes, and paid agents mostly resell a form you can fill in yourself.
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AICreatorHub Team
The AICreatorHub editorial team is a group of hands-on AI practitioners, writers and developers based in India. We test AI tools and models ourselves, track official releases from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Meta and xAI, and translate them into simple, India-first guides in English and Hindi. Every article is written for real Indian use cases — pricing in rupees, free-tier tips and practical, tested steps — so you get accurate, up-to-date and genuinely useful AI information.