Microsoft for Startups: $5,000 in Azure Credits
Every approved startup gets $5,000, released in two steps. The $100,000 route needs a referral code from an investor or accelerator.
$5,000 in Azure credits, or $100,000 with a referral code
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The first $1,000 is live as soon as you are approved, and approval takes about three business days. The other $4,000 follows once Microsoft verifies the business. Once activated you have two years to spend the balance, which is the longest runway of any cloud credit in this catalogue.
Deal at a glance
| Programme | Microsoft for Startups. One application, with credits that scale as your Azure usage does |
|---|---|
| Without a referral code | $1,000 for 90 days, then a further $4,000 for 180 days once your business is verified |
| With a referral code | Most startups begin at $100,000, and Microsoft states you can unlock up to $150,000 over time on verified progress & sustained Azure usage |
| Where a code comes from | A participating investor, accelerator, incubator, angel network or university. You ask that organisation for its code & enter it during the application |
| Decision time | About three business days. Declined applications can be resubmitted after 14 days |
| Activation window | 90 days from accepting the programme agreement, or the offer expires & you reapply |
| Credit lifetime | Two years once activated. Microsoft states extensions are not available |
| Eligibility | Own a software product, privately held & for-profit, pre Series C, under $350,000 in lifetime free Azure credits. No agencies, consultancies or crypto mining |
| Access | Free with any InnMind account |
| Last verified | July 2026 |
What you get
Credits are the headline, but the programme is really a single door into Microsoft’s stack, and what is behind it depends on how you came in.
- $5,000 in Azure credits on the standard route, split $1,000 then $4,000, spendable across eligible Azure services.
- Two years to spend them once activated. Most cloud programmes give twelve months.
- Credits that grow with usage. Microsoft states the ceiling rises to $150,000 over time as a startup shows verified progress & sustained Azure usage.
- Startup-specific Azure resources, a company profile you can add team members to, and the ability to request technical guidance from inside the portal.
- On the referral route, considerably more: Azure Standard Support, access to technical experts, go-to-market support, plus discounted or free GitHub Enterprise, LinkedIn Premium Business, Microsoft 365 Business Premium, Visual Studio Enterprise, Dynamics 365 & Power Platform.
What founders use it for
Four jobs where Azure credits are worth more than the equivalent cash, because they buy you time before the bill becomes real.
Running AI inference before you have revenue. Model hosting is the line that turns a side project into a monthly cost, and credits absorb it while you work out what a customer is worth.
Enterprise-shaped infrastructure early. If your buyers are corporates, being on Azure removes a procurement conversation before it starts.
Data platforms & pipelines. Storage and compute for analytics workloads that would otherwise eat the whole infra budget in month one.
Migrating off a personal account. Founders often start on a card in someone’s name. This is the moment to move to a company account, because credits require one anyway.
$5,000 or $100,000: which one you get
Both come from the same application. The difference is a single field, and knowing that before you apply is worth more than any other line on this page.
| The standard route: $5,000 | Open to any startup that meets the eligibility list. Microsoft releases it as $1,000 for 90 days, then a further $4,000 for 180 days after business verification. No referral needed, no negotiation. |
|---|---|
| The investor route: $100,000 | Microsoft states that most startups on the investor offer begin at $100,000, with the opportunity to earn more, and that the ceiling reaches $150,000 over time. It is the same programme, entered with a code. |
| What a referral code is | A code that verifies you are affiliated with a participating investor, accelerator, incubator, angel network, university or similar organisation. It is not sold, and it is not something a startup can generate. You ask the organisation you already work with for theirs. |
| Where founders get this wrong | The code is entered during the application. If you apply without one and a code turns up later, Microsoft says you can then apply to the investor offer, but you cannot edit an application you have already submitted. |
| The honest read | Treat $5,000 as what you are getting and the investor route as an upgrade worth chasing separately. If you are in an accelerator or have an institutional investor, ask them for their code before you touch the form. |
The clocks and the conditions that catch people out
Microsoft publishes all of these, and every one of them has its own way of quietly costing you the credits.
| 90 days to activate | The clock starts when you accept the programme agreement, not when you first use Azure. Miss it and the offer expires, and you have to reapply from the beginning. |
|---|---|
| Two years, then nothing | Credits are valid for up to two years from activation and Microsoft states plainly that extensions are not available. |
| Use the right account type | Benefits must be activated with the same Microsoft Account used to register. Work or school accounts on Entra ID are the single most common cause of activation errors. |
| One redemption per account | If the account has already taken Azure credits from another Microsoft programme you will hit an “already redeemed” error. Existing enterprise accounts cannot redeem most startup benefits either. |
| A card is required | Not for payment, but for identity verification and for anything the credits do not cover. Which leads to the next line. |
| Credits run out silently | When the balance hits zero your subscriptions move to pay-as-you-go automatically so nothing breaks. That is good for uptime and expensive if nobody is watching. Set a budget alert on day one. |
Who is eligible
| Product | You develop a software-based product or service that your company owns. |
|---|---|
| Company | Privately held and for-profit. |
| Location | Headquartered in a country where Azure services are available. |
| Prior credits | You have not received more than $350,000 in lifetime free Azure credits. |
| Funding stage | You have not raised a Series C or later. Bootstrapped teams qualify; this is a ceiling rather than a requirement to have raised. |
| Excluded | Educational institutions, government organisations, consultancies and agencies. Cryptocurrency mining is excluded outright. |
| InnMind plan | Free with any InnMind account. You do not need a paid membership for this one. |
How to claim it
- Create a free InnMind account, or sign in if you already have one.
- Before anything else, ask whether you can get a referral code. If you are in an accelerator or incubator, or have an institutional investor, angel network or university behind you, ask them for theirs. It is the difference between $5,000 and $100,000.
- Open this deal in the InnMind app and click Access Perk to reach the Microsoft for Startups application.
- Apply with a company Microsoft Account rather than a work or school account, and use the same account later to activate. Enter the referral code during the application if you have one.
- Wait about three business days for the decision. You cannot edit a submitted application, and a declined one can be resubmitted after 14 days.
- Activate within 90 days of accepting the agreement. Put the date in a calendar the day you are approved.
- Set a budget alert in the Azure portal straight away, so the switch to pay-as-you-go is a decision rather than a surprise.
Terms worth knowing
This deal is Microsoft for Startups, run by Microsoft. Every figure and condition on this page comes from Microsoft’s own documentation as published in July 2026, specifically the programme overview and the Microsoft for Startups FAQ on Microsoft Learn: the standard Azure startup credit offer of $1,000 for 90 days followed by a further $4,000 for 180 days after business verification, the investor offer on which most startups begin at $100,000, the stated ceiling of up to $150,000 in Startup credits unlocked over time on verified progress and sustained Azure usage, a referral code that verifies affiliation with a participating investor, accelerator, incubator, angel network, university or similar organisation, application review in about three business days, reapplication after 14 days if declined, activation within 90 days of accepting the programme agreement, a credit validity of up to two years with no extensions, the requirement to use the registering Microsoft Account, the credit card requirement for identity verification, and automatic transition to pay-as-you-go once credits are consumed. Eligibility is a company-owned software product, privately held and for-profit, headquartered where Azure is available, no more than $350,000 in lifetime free Azure credits, no Series C or later funding, and not an educational institution, government organisation, consultancy, agency or cryptocurrency mining operation. The investor offer requires a code from the affiliated organisation and cannot be requested by a startup directly. Programme terms are Microsoft’s and can change. Claiming needs a free InnMind account. Acceptance is at Microsoft’s discretion. Deal details verified July 2026.
Questions founders ask
How much does Microsoft for Startups actually give you?
$5,000 in Azure credits on the standard route, released as $1,000 for 90 days and then a further $4,000 for 180 days after your business is verified. On the investor offer Microsoft states most startups begin at $100,000, with a ceiling of up to $150,000 unlocked over time.
What is a referral code and how do I get one?
It verifies that you are affiliated with a participating investor, accelerator, incubator, angel network or university. You ask that organisation for its code and enter it while you apply. A startup cannot generate one for itself, and it is not something you can buy.
How long do the Azure credits last?
You have 90 days from accepting the programme agreement to activate, and once activated the credits are valid for up to two years. Microsoft states that extensions are not available, so an unspent balance is simply lost at the end.
Who is eligible for Microsoft for Startups?
Privately held, for-profit companies that own a software product, are headquartered where Azure is available, have taken no more than $350,000 in lifetime free Azure credits and have not raised a Series C or later. Educational institutions, government organisations, consultancies, agencies and crypto mining operations are excluded.
Do I need a credit card to activate the credits?
Yes. Microsoft requires one for identity verification, for any service the credits do not cover, and for the transition to pay-as-you-go when the credits run out. You are not charged for the credits themselves.
What happens when the credits run out?
Your Azure subscriptions move to pay-as-you-go automatically so that nothing stops working. That is convenient and it is also how founders get an unexpected invoice, so set a budget alert when you activate rather than when the balance looks low.
Do I need a paid InnMind plan to claim it?
No. Microsoft for Startups is free with any InnMind account, and a free account also opens the rest of the startup deals catalogue.