AWS Activate is AWS's programme for startups, and the part most founders care about is the credits: AWS promotional credits that pay for your usage while you build. They are real money off your bill, but they are not a grant, they do not cover everything, and the amount you can get depends almost entirely on one question: who is backing you.
This guide explains the Activate tiers as AWS describes them in October 2026, who is eligible for each, how the application works, what the credits will not pay for, and what startups in Egypt and Saudi Arabia should check before applying. AWS changes the amounts and criteria from time to time, so check the official page before you apply.
The Activate tiers
AWS currently lists two tiers that startups can apply for, plus a larger offer for AI startups that is by invitation:
| Tier | Who it is for | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Activate Founders | Self-funded startups with no institutional backing. | $1,000 to start. AWS says select participants may qualify for up to $5,000 over time. |
| Activate Portfolio | Startups backed by an Activate Provider: an accelerator, incubator, angel investor or venture capital firm. | Up to $200,000. The provider's package decides the actual amount. |
| AWS Credits for AI Startups | AI startups ready to scale beyond Portfolio. | More than $200,000. By invitation, through an AWS account manager. |
The gap between the tiers is the most important thing in this guide. A self-funded startup starts at $1,000; a startup whose accelerator is an Activate Provider can receive many times that, from the same programme. The provider sets its own package, so two Portfolio startups can receive very different amounts.
Who is eligible
AWS's own application guide lists these criteria:
- Founded in the past 10 years. This applies to both tiers.
- A fully functioning company website. A placeholder page or a social profile is a common reason for delay.
- New to Activate, or asking for more. For Founders you must be new to Activate credits. For Portfolio you must not have already received Activate credits of equal or greater value.
- Pre-Series B, for Portfolio. If you have raised, your most recent round must be within the last 12 months.
- An Org ID, for Portfolio. A confidential, case-sensitive code your Activate Provider gives you. Without it, Founders is the only tier you can apply for.
- An AWS account on the Paid Tier Plan. AWS's credits page lists this alongside the other criteria. An account still on the free plan has to be upgraded first.
How to apply
- Create an AWS Builder ID. AWS asks for a personal email to create and verify it.
- Use your business email for the Activate profile. The address on the application should match your company's website domain. A mismatch between the email and the website is one of the delays AWS describes.
- Fill in the startup profile. Your product, funding stage and most recent funding date. AWS says these directly affect eligibility, so they must be accurate.
- Choose the tier. Founders if you are self-funded, Portfolio if you have an Org ID from your provider.
- Link the AWS account the credits should go to. You need admin access to it, and it can be linked to only one Builder ID at a time.
- Submit and wait. AWS says reviews usually take up to 10 business days. Once approved, the credits appear in the Billing and Cost Management console within a few hours.
Check everything before you press submit. AWS does not let you edit an application once it is sent; to fix a mistake you cancel it, unlink the account and apply again.
What the credits do and do not cover
Activate credits apply automatically each month to new usage on eligible services. You cannot pick which services they pay for, and they do not cover past charges. AWS's promotional credit terms also exclude several charges, unless AWS agrees otherwise:
- Upfront fees for Savings Plans and Reserved Instances. Committing to a discount plan does not draw on your credits.
- AWS Marketplace purchases, including third-party software you buy through it.
- Higher support plans and services, such as Enterprise Support, Enterprise On-Ramp, AWS Managed Services, Professional Services, training and certification.
- Route 53 domain registration or transfer.
- Cryptocurrency mining, on any service.
- Taxes. Credits are not applied against sales, use or similar taxes on your invoice.
Credits also expire. AWS says they usually expire within one to two years, depending on the package, and the date is fixed when they are issued. Credits you do not use by then are lost, and after that you pay standard rates. Credits cannot be sold, transferred or exchanged for cash.
Egypt and Saudi Arabia: what to check
- Ask your accelerator or investor whether they are an Activate Provider. Some accelerators and funds in the region are, and it is the single biggest factor in what you receive. If they are, ask for the Org ID and what their package includes.
- Get the basics right before applying. A company domain email, a live website that explains the product, and a funding stage and date that match what your investors would say.
- Choose your region early. AWS has no region in Egypt; startups there usually build in the Middle East regions in Bahrain or the UAE, or in Europe. AWS has announced a region in Saudi Arabia, so check whether it is live. Credits work in any region, but moving later costs time, and what a cloud migration costs in Egypt depends partly on the region you pick. Our guide to choosing an AWS region in Egypt compares the options.
- Keep the account in the company's name. The AWS account that receives the credits should belong to the startup, not to a founder personally or to a contractor.
- Check the other routes too. If you are moving an existing product from another provider, migration funding may apply. If you need to prove a specific workload, a funded proof of concept is a separate route through an AWS Partner.
AWS Activate for startups in Saudi Arabia
Saudi founders have one route that is not open everywhere: the AWS KSA Founders Club, AWS's community for early-stage startups in the Kingdom. AWS lists it as free, with membership for 12 months and an option to renew, and says members can receive up to $5,000 in AWS credits. To join, a startup must also qualify for AWS Activate, and applications are reviewed on a rolling basis for fit and timing. Our guide to AWS Activate in Saudi Arabia covers the Saudi routes in more detail.
- It does not replace Portfolio. Up to $5,000 is in the same range as the Founders tier. If an accelerator or venture fund backs you, ask whether it is an Activate Provider first: a Portfolio package through its Org ID is usually far larger.
- There is no public list of providers. AWS does not publish which Saudi accelerators and funds are Activate Providers, so ask yours directly and get the Org ID and package in writing.
- Plan the region with the credits. Until the AWS Saudi region launches, startups in the Kingdom build in the UAE or Bahrain regions. If your customers will require in-Kingdom hosting, design so the move is straightforward; our Saudi migration guide covers the rules.
Next steps
Our credit programmes guide explains how Activate compares with migration credits and POC funding, and our startup credits service covers how we help with applications. If you want to know what you could realistically apply for, the free credit eligibility check takes a few minutes. Nothing here is a promise of credits: AWS decides every application.