Microsoft for Startups: Up to $150,000 in Azure Credits (2026 Guide)

Microsoft for Startups gives you a small amount of Azure credit straight away and lets you grow it to as much as $150,000. Without an investor code you start with $200, unlocked by verifying with a personal LinkedIn account. With a referral code from a Microsoft Investor Network partner you start with $1,000. Larger amounts ($5,000, $25,000, $50,000 and $150,000) are unlocked automatically as you verify your business and keep using more Azure services over time.

This guide covers what the program includes, who qualifies, every step of the sign-up flow, the milestone rules, expiry and billing, and how it compares with other startup credit programs. Everything was checked against Microsoft Learn and microsoft.com on October 17, 2026.

What you get at a glance

The credit milestones explained

Microsoft used to offer fixed tiers that you climbed by applying again. The current program works differently. You don't apply separately for higher tiers. Microsoft evaluates your account automatically and raises your credit limit when you meet the next milestone. You also don't have to go through the milestones in order: if you already meet the requirements for a higher one, you can qualify for it directly.

What counts as a workload

A workload is a distinct Azure service you actively use in your product. Microsoft's examples are Virtual Machines, AI and machine learning services, databases and application hosting services. Each unique service counts once toward your total.

The 60-day rule

The 60-day clock only starts once you have the required number of workloads, each with at least $1 in spend. Every one of those workloads has to stay above $1 in spend for all 60 days. If any of them drops below that, you fall under the required count and the clock has to complete again. Microsoft says it looks at recent activity and sustained patterns, not one-time spikes. For the higher tiers, usage has to be consistent across more than a single month.

Worked example using Microsoft's thresholds: to reach the $150,000 milestone you need 10 or more workloads and about $3,000 a month of usage for roughly 60 days. That is around $6,000 of Azure consumption over the qualifying window. Credits can cover that usage, but you still need real, continuous activity across ten distinct services. Spinning up idle resources for a day won't count.

Who qualifies

Microsoft Learn lists the formal criteria. Your company must:

• Build a software-based product or service that it owns
• 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 or later
• Not be an educational institution, government organization, consultancy or agency
• Not be involved in cryptocurrency mining

The application guide adds the profile Microsoft is looking for: pre-seed through Series B, B2B companies building software, AI or technology solutions, working toward or already at MVP, and independent rather than subsidiaries of larger organizations.

Edge cases worth knowing

• Existing Azure users: you need a personal Microsoft account with no prior Azure account. If your account has already redeemed Azure credits from another Microsoft program, activation can fail with an 'Already redeemed' error.
• Company email: work, school and company-domain addresses (for example name@yourstartup.com) aren't accepted at sign-up. Use a personal consumer address and keep using that same account for benefits.
• Country: the country you pick must match your billing address and can't be changed later. If your country isn't listed, the offer isn't available there.
• Business details: the registered name and address must match your legal documents. Microsoft warns that mismatches can make business verification fail and delay acceptance.
• Services firms: consultancies and agencies are excluded, even if they build software for clients.

Step-by-step: how to apply

Before you start, have these ready: a personal Microsoft account with no previous Azure account, a phone number, your time zone, your registered startup name, your primary industry, your website (if you have one), your address and a payment card. If your investor is in Microsoft's network, ask them for the 10-character referral code first.

1. Open the Microsoft for Startups page and select Get started now.
2. Sign in with a personal Microsoft account, or select Create an account to make one.
3. On Apply for Microsoft for Startups, enter your investor referral code and select Next, or select Continue without a code.
4. Without a code: a preview of the Build your startup dashboard shows an 'Unlock $200 in Azure credits' prompt. Select Verify with LinkedIn and sign in with your personal LinkedIn account.
5. With a code: enter your contact email, phone number and time zone. Verify the email with the code Microsoft sends (it expires in 10 minutes), then verify your phone by text message. Fill in the business information form and submit. On the Application submitted page, select Continue to Azure sign up.
6. Create your Azure account in three steps: Profile information (country/region, name, email, phone and a human check), Address information (billing address and agreement to the Microsoft Customer Agreement) and Payment information (card details).
7. Land on the Build your startup dashboard. Starter credits are usable straight away, though Microsoft says the balance can take up to 24 hours to appear in full.

What happens after you apply

Microsoft says it reviews applications within about three business days, longer if it needs to verify information, and emails the decision. Meanwhile you can deploy resources with your starter credits. Once approved, you manage everything in the Azure Portal: updating your company profile, adding team members, activating benefits, requesting technical guidance and opening program support tickets. To confirm your credits, go to Cost Management + Billing in the portal.

If you're declined, you can't edit the submitted application, but Microsoft's FAQ says you can reapply after 14 days. If an application is still pending and you made a mistake, the confirmation email lets you delete it and start again.

Expiry, billing and what happens afterwards

• Activate within 90 days: if you don't activate credits within 90 days of accepting the program agreement, the offer expires and you have to reapply.
• Two-year validity: activated credits last up to two years, with no extensions apart from the one-time two-year extension at the $25,000 milestone.
• Pay-as-you-go afterwards: when credits run out or expire, whichever comes first, the Azure Sponsorship subscription converts to pay-as-you-go automatically. There's no upfront commitment, and you can cancel the subscription at any time.
• Charges while you still have credits: Microsoft lists three causes: a service that credits don't cover, exhausted credits, or usage in a different billing profile or account.
• No transfers: credits are permanently tied to the subscription created at redemption.

Set a budget alert in Cost Management before you deploy anything large. The card on file is charged as soon as usage falls outside what credits cover, and GPU virtual machines or large AI deployments can use up a $200 or $1,000 starter balance quickly.

Investor-backed startups

Startups backed by a Microsoft for Startups Investor Network partner get $1,000 at sign-up instead of $200 and, according to Microsoft, may unlock higher-value benefits earlier, including more Startup credits, expanded support and third-party benefits. Eligible startups may also get a dedicated Microsoft for Startups point of contact.

Microsoft's FAQ describes the investor offer as including Azure credits ('most startups begin with $100,000'), Azure Standard Support, access to technical experts, go-to-market support, and discounts or free offers on products such as GitHub Enterprise, LinkedIn Premium Business, Microsoft 365 Business Premium, Visual Studio Enterprise, Dynamics 365 and Power Platform. The newer application guide doesn't repeat the $100,000 figure, so treat it as possible rather than guaranteed and ask your investor what their code unlocks. The FAQ also says referral codes can come from accelerators, incubators, angel networks and universities, not just VCs.

How to get the most out of the credits

• Plan around the milestones. If your architecture already uses compute, a database, storage, an AI service and app hosting, you are close to the five-workload threshold for $25,000. Grow into it naturally rather than adding services you don't need.
• Complete business verification early. It's the only requirement for the $5,000 milestone and doesn't depend on usage.
• Use Microsoft Foundry models for AI features. Microsoft lists access to models through Microsoft Foundry as a program benefit, so you can prototype AI features against your credit balance instead of a separate API bill.
• List on Microsoft Marketplace. Microsoft positions Marketplace and co-sell as the route to enterprise buyers, which matters if your customers already buy through Azure agreements.
• Use the right account from day one. Credits can't be moved later, so create the subscription under the account your company will keep.

How it compares with other startup programs

Microsoft's main advantage is that any eligible startup can get in without an investor, and the milestone rules are published. The trade-off is that the bigger amounts depend on real Azure usage across many services. If you mainly want model API credits rather than a cloud platform, look at OpenAI for Startups or Anthropic's startup program. For a broader overview, read our guide on how to get free AI credits. Students can use Azure for Students instead, which doesn't require a company.

History and recent changes

• The program used to be marketed as Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub. It offered fixed credit levels and, at times, bundled OpenAI credits. Current official pages no longer use the Founders Hub name or list those OpenAI credits.
• Today everyone joins through the same website and starts on starter credits. Microsoft says increases are reviewed over time and may vary by startup.
• Microsoft Learn's milestone page (dated May 2026) sets out the $200, $5,000, $25,000, $50,000 and $150,000 levels. The application guide was last updated in October 2026.