Amazon will literally bankroll your servers if you look like the right kind of startup.
Two doors. One wide open. One guarded by a bored bouncer who just wants to hear the magic name.
Door 1 – The Easy Grab ($1K)
No drama. No VC. No secret handshake. Just show up.
Your shopping list:
- A “startup-ish” landing page (one page, your logo, what you’re “building,” contact info).
- An AWS account.
- Apply here → aws.amazon.com/activate/founders
Loot: About $1,000 AWS credits + support.
Time to score: 10 minutes, coffee still hot.
Door 2 – The VIP Vault (Up to $100K)
This one looks hard. It’s not.
They’ll ask for a Partner Org ID from an AWS-approved accelerator/incubator/startup club.
DUMB Translation:
- The “ID” is a code.
- Codes live with AWS Activate Providers.
- Providers exist to give you the code (if you join them).
- Many are free, no equity, and faster than a spam email.
Apply here (once you have the code) → aws.amazon.com/activate/portfolio
AWS’s “Secret Handshake”
The “rules” sound scary on paper, but really they’re just the door password:
- Your startup isn’t ancient (under 10 years old).
- You haven’t already drunk the full AWS credits milkshake.
- You look like a startup (real domain, email, site that says “we’re building cool stuff”).
- You knock using their official form.
Think of it as a costume party — wear the right outfit, smile, and they wave you in.
The Watchman’s Key – Getting a Legit Org ID
You’re not picking locks — you’re slipping in with a smile because you know which clubs want you inside. Each one below is basically a bouncer who hands you the VIP badge just for showing up right.
Official “club directory” → aws.amazon.com/startups/lp/aws-activate-provider
Fast, friendly, low-friction key givers:
- Mercury – Online startup bank. Open an account → they hand you AWS credits (up to $5K). No equity, no pitch deck.
- Brex – Business card + banking perks. Sign up → AWS credits land in your inbox (up to $5K).
- Startup Grind – Founder meetups + events. Join a chapter → they share AWS credit links like free snacks.
- FoundersBoost / FoundersBoostX – No-equity pre-accelerator. Join → $10K AWS credits + a credibility boost.
- MassChallenge – Global zero-equity accelerator. Apply → if accepted, perks + AWS credits keep flowing.
- Blackstone LaunchPad – University-based founder network. Be a student/alum → AWS credits drop in your lap.
- SCRA – Region-specific innovation program. Join if you’re in their zone → AWS credits included.
Still dumb?: Each one is just a different costume for the same party. Pick the outfit that fits, walk in, and the watchman hands you the key.
Step-by-Step Score (All Legal… just Clever)
- Whip up a landing page that flirts with greatness — enough to make someone say, “Ooh, they’re onto something.”
- Slide into your AWS account like you’ve been a regular forever.
- Choose your entry: Founders (Door 1) if you want to stroll in, or Portfolio (Door 2) if you want the champagne room.
- Going for Portfolio? Cozy up to a low-barrier Provider — they exist to hand you the key.
- Pocket your shiny, official Org ID like it’s a backstage pass.
- Walk up to AWS’s Portfolio form and drop that ID like you belong there.
- Impatient? Grab Door 1’s $1K first, then circle back for the VIP stash later.
Don’t Get Yourself Ghosted
- Random codes from Reddit → AWS can nuke your credits and snitch to the Provider.
- Already maxed credits → Denied.
- Garbage website → If it screams “Hello World,” you’re toast.
- No story → If asked, have a believable 2-sentence pitch.
The Mindset
You’re not “cheating” — you’re just wearing the right lanyard.
AWS built the VIP room, stocked it with champagne, and left the guest list in the hallway.
Walk in, nod at the bouncer, say the magic name, and enjoy the bar tab.
!