One‑Line Flow: Build a founder identity → Apply via Secret → Bluff like a CEO → Get 20 free GitHub Enterprise seats.
lazy? – What Even Is This?
- GitHub offers 20 seats of Enterprise plan free for 1 year (~$7,560 value).
- Meant for funded startups, but loophole = apply via Secret (a partner).
- Secret accepts bootstrapped startups. No VC? Still fine. Just act like one.
- [Visual irony:] Yes, the same GitHub that charges unicorns gives this away if you show up in a hoodie and lie politely.
Warnings (Read This or Cry Later)
If you’ve used GitHub Enterprise in the last 6 months, this won’t work. No double-dipping.
Don’t reuse your main GitHub account if you’ve already redeemed credits before.
Don’t overdo the bluff. Over-explaining is a red flag. Be vague, be brief, be believable.
Reality Check – How the Loophole Works
Already paying? Still eligible. GitHub will apply retroactive credit.
Apply through partner: Secret = the golden key
https://resources.github.com/startups/?pid=Secret
Bootstrapped? Still allowed via Secret (confirmed by their FAQ).
Team size doesn’t matter: 1 person is enough. Don’t invent fake employees.
Manual review = bluff window: If they ask questions, you win by sounding like a CEO who knows what a burn rate is.
Startup-In-A-Box: How To Fake It Like a Pro
Step 1: Fake Founder Kit
Domain: Grab a .tech,.io, or.xyzfor cheap.
Website: Use Carrd or Notion. Here’s a free template:
| Template Name | Platform | Use Case / Why | Get It |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landing page website – Lunar theme | Notion | Clean hero, feature grid & social-proof section—mirrors AgentForge’s demo | Notion Landing Pages |
| Landing page website – Notive theme | Notion | Same layout as AgentForge but with a bold dark-gradient header | Notive Theme |
| Landing Page 2025 | Notion | Stripped-back, scroll-friendly canvas with logo, tagline, features, FAQ & footer | Landing Page 2025 |
| Top 8 Free Landing Pages | Notion | Eight one-click-duplicate pages (Bullet.so, GreenySun, n0c0de, etc.)—rapid design auditions | Top 8 Collection |
| Super Builder | Notion | 60-block drag-and-drop “Lego kit” for heroes, pricing tables, testimonials—publish on Notion Sites | Super Builder |
| Deliberately Simple | Carrd | One-page SaaS layout: logo cloud, benefits grid, pricing & email form—free on Carrd’s Free Plan | Carrd Templates |
| Simple Landing Page | Carrd | Minimal hero + signup CTA + above-the-fold feature trio; “Pay What You Want” (enter $0 to grab free) | TEMPELD |
| UHDED Free Carrd Templates | Carrd | Bundle of 10+ free starters—look for “Portfolio/Freelancer” or “SaaS-style” layouts | UHDED Carrd Templates |
| Startup Landing Page | Carrd | MVP launch site with features overview, pricing, CTAs | Carrd.co |
| Online Portfolio Starter | Carrd | Personal pitch/demo site to showcase projects | One Page Love |
| Agency Profile | Carrd | Service-based or consultant site—introduce offerings, social proof, contact | MakingThatWebsite |
| Aesthetic Business Site | Carrd | Minimal design with testimonials—ideal for creative startups | Aesthetic Templates |
| Startup in a Box | Notion | Idea planning, launch checklist & demo page | Notion Startup Templates |
| One-Page Business Plan | Notion | Public-facing overview of vision, market & strategy | Notion Everything |
| Go-To-Market Plan | Notion | Investor-ready launch timeline and tactical roadmap | PitchDrive |
| Pitch Deck Builder | Notion | Build and share fully-branded investor presentations | Notion Startup Templates |
| Small Business OS | Notion | All-in-one dashboard for projects, finance & goals management | Notion Everything |
| Idea Validation OS | Notion | Structured research & idea-validation framework | Free Notion Templates |
Email: Create a “startup” email — even [email protected]will do.- Story: “We’re building a devtool marketplace for niche AI agents.”
Funding: “Founder-backed, raising pre-seed Q4.”
Step 2: Form-Fill Wizardry
Fill the form as CEO of your “startup”
Use keywords: traction, beta users, security-first, MVP
Always choose “Secret” as your partner
Funding: say “bootstrapped” or “pre-seed”
Keep it short. Oversharing kills the magic.
Step 3: CEO Mode If They Email You
- Team: “3 technical founders”
Product: “Private beta with 5 test users”- Funding: “Planning a pre-seed raise in Q4”
Why GitHub: “We’ll use Advanced Security + SAML from day one”
Tone: Calm, confident, not thirsty
Quick Startup Templates
Email Reply (If GitHub Contacts You)
Hey [Name],
Thanks for reaching out! We’re building a platform to help devs discover and integrate niche AI agents into their stack.Team: 3 founders, all technical. Currently in private beta with 5 pilot teams.
We’re bootstrapped (founder-funded), planning a pre-seed round in Q4.
GitHub Enterprise would help us embed security and SAML best practices early. Let me know if you need anything else!
Landing Page (Carrd/Notion Copy)
AgentForge
Marketplace for AI Dev ToolsAgentForge helps developers discover niche AI agents to plug into their workflows.
Currently in closed beta with select teams.Fully remote team. Funded by founders.
Eligible for GitHub for Startups.
Pitch Deck Slide Titles (Optional)
- Who We Are
- Why AI Devs Struggle
- Agent Marketplace = Fix
- $X Billion Devtool Market
- Fast UI + Dev APIs
- Private Beta with 5 Teams
- Roadmap: Public Q1 Launch
- All Engineers. Ex-BigTech
- Using GitHub Enterprise to Scale
- Just Here for Free Credits
Bonus Startup Deals Worth Stacking
| Tool | Deal | Hack |
|---|---|---|
| Intercom | 90% off Yr1 + free Fin bot | Apply via Secret or Intercom form |
| Linear | 6 months free | Join Mercury → Use Perks |
| Sentry | 6 months Teams plan free | Apply via Secret or Scrums.com |
| Notion | 6 months free ($1k value) | Apply via Notion site |
| Segment | $25k credits | Get from partner accelerator |
| AWS | $5k–$100k credits | Use FounderHub or YC deal |
| GCP | $10k+ credits | Need invite or affiliation |
| Azure | Free tools + cloud credits | Microsoft for Startups |
Cheat Sheet – Fake It Like a Boss
| Question | Ideal Answer |
|---|---|
| “How did you hear?” | Secret partner page. Founder group. |
| “Funding?” | Bootstrapped. Pre-seed planned Q4. |
| “Team size?” | 3 founders, 1–2 part-time contributors. |
| “Why Enterprise?” | SAML + Advanced Security for scaling. |
| “Using GitHub now?” | Yes – want to upgrade to Enterprise tier. |
Don’t sweat! 
“You don’t need investors — just a Carrd page, mild confidence, and a belief in loopholes.”
Final Thought
No VC? No problem. Wear the hoodie, walk in like you belong, and let GitHub foot the bill. 
!