If you have a startup or are thinking of founding one, one of your biggest concerns will be how you are going to finance the operations until the business generates sufficient cash flows. There are numerous companies that offer programs for startups, mainly technology companies through which you receive a certain number of credits that you can redeem instead of paying the amount accrued for the use of their services plus other types of additional resources. One of the most relevant programs is the AWS Activate program offered by Amazon Web Services. If you want to learn more about this program, how to apply and its advantages, keep reading this article.

AWS Activate is a startup program that is offered by Amazon Web Services and provides the eligible Startups with tools and resources, including AWS credits, and AWS Support credits to help startups quickly get started on AWS and grow their business. The program is designed to provide the right mix of tools, resources, and expert support so a Startup can succeed with AWS while optimizing performance, managing risk, and keeping costs under control.

AWS Activate is available for startups, and must fulfill the following requirements to be eligible:

• Self-funded or/and funded startups. If the is a funded startup up to and including Series A phase.
• Startups must have been founded within last 10 years.
• Must have a have a functioning website or public profile.
• It is available worldwide except for China regions.
• Must have an AWS account and needs to have administrator level permissions to access the Activate application form.

AWS Activate have two program tiers and includes the following benefits:

• Activate Founders: provides $1,000 USD in AWS credits (valid for two years) to spend on AWS services, and $350 USD in AWS Developer Support credits (valid for one year) along with access to the Activate Console and member-only exclusive offers.

• Activate Portfolio: provides up to $100,000 USD in AWS credits to spend on AWS services, up to $10,000 USD in AWS Business Support credits, and access to the Activate Console and exclusive member-only offers.

You can apply for the programs several times, but you can only receive the total amount of benefits once. What you could do is benefit from the Founders Activate program and later apply for the Activate program, so you will be able to benefit from both programs (the Activate Founders’ benefits do not impact the amount of AWS credits received through AWS Activate Portfolio).

The AWS credits can be used for a wide variety of services (over 200) which include infrastructure technologies like compute, storage, and databases–to emerging technologies, such as machine learning and artificial intelligence, data lakes and analytics, and Internet of Things. However, the credits do not cover any fees or charges for Amazon Mechanical Turk, Ineligible AWS Support, AWS Marketplace, Amazon Route 53 domain name registration or transfer, any Services for mining for cryptocurrency, or any upfront fee for any Services such as Savings Plans and Reserved Instances.

Applying for AWS activate is a very simple process, the application takes no more than 10 minutes, being the same process for both programs. Once we are sure we meet the eligibility criteria for Activate Founders or Activate Portfolio, we must follow the next steps:

1. Log in to AWS. If you do not have an AWS account, you can create one for free.
2. Select the Activate program tier you would like to apply for (Founders or Portfolio).
3. Access to the application form and fully complete it.
4. Submit the completed form.

Once the application process is completed, you just need to wait some days for the application to be processed. AWS Activate applications are processed in the order they are received but normally is a fast process. It usually takes seven to ten business days for your application to be processed.

Other ways to apply to the program is through entrepreneurship programs. YCombinator for example, the number 1 accelerator in the world, based in San Francisco, has an agreement with AWS so that the startups selected in each batch can apply directly to the programs and start getting the benefits immediately. But not only Y Combinator offers these perks, other Venture Capital funds and accelerators around the world have the same agreements with AWS so please always check with your investors or accelerator before applying individually. The chances of being accepted are way greater if the application goes through one of these AWS partners.

Snab, as an emerging company, is part of the Activate AWS Portfolio program and the program is helping us to achieve our goals while simultaneously optimizing our performance, controlling risks and keeping costs under control.

Snab is a cloud-based platform, which allows businesses to automate the receipt and record of invoices received, digitizing the process and having a real-time control of all transactions, due to the connection with all bank accounts in addition to giving your business accurate information of all accounts payable/receivable. Request a demo with us.