AWS Activate Founders vs. Portfolio: Which Tier Fits Your Startup?
AWS Activate is AWS’s main credit program for startups, and it has two tiers you can apply for. Founders gives smaller amounts to self-funded companies. Portfolio gives much larger amounts to startups backed by an AWS partner organization. Picking the right one saves you a rejected application and a few weeks.
What both tiers require
To apply for either tier, your startup must:
- be pre-Series B, meaning it hasn’t raised a Series B round
- have been founded within the last 10 years
- run on an AWS account on the Paid plan, not the Free plan
- be new to Activate credits, or be asking for more than it has received before
You apply with an AWS Builder ID and usually hear back within 5 to 10 business days.
Activate Founders: $1,000 to $5,000
Founders is for bootstrapped or self-funded startups that haven’t yet joined an accelerator or venture capital program. It starts at $1,000 in credits, and AWS says select startups may get up to $5,000. You’ll need a working company website. If you don’t have an Org ID from an Activate Provider, this is the tier you can apply for.
Activate Portfolio: up to `$200,000
Portfolio is for startups backed by an Activate Provider, such as an accelerator, venture capital firm or angel investor that works with AWS. Providers AWS names include Andreessen Horowitz, Brex, Carta, Greylock Partners, Sequoia and Y Combinator. Your provider gives you an Org ID, and entering it in your application unlocks up to $`200,000 in credits. You must apply within 12 months of your most recent funding round. For more on how this tier works, see this overview of AWS Activate Portfolio.
Moving from Founders to Portfolio
AWS doesn’t describe a separate upgrade. If you raise money later, you can apply again for a larger amount, up to the program’s lifetime cap. When you qualify for a bigger provider offer, you get the difference between that offer and what you’ve already received.
How to choose
The decision mostly makes itself:
- No accelerator or investor yet: apply for Founders now rather than waiting.
- Backed by an accelerator, VC or angel: ask whether it’s an Activate Provider. If it is, request the Org ID and apply for Portfolio.
- Building AI and growing fast: AWS Credits for AI Startups offers `$200,000 or more, but only by invitation through your AWS account manager.
If you’d rather not handle the paperwork yourself, services like Clowdey say they manage the application end to end, from checking eligibility to submitting it.
After approval
Activate credits usually expire within 1 to 2 years, depending on the package. They work on most AWS services, including third-party models in Amazon Bedrock, and can pay for eligible AWS Support plans, though not Enterprise Support. Check the Credits page in your Billing console for the exact amount and expiration date, and plan your spending around that date rather than the size of the award.
Brian is a WordPress support specialist and content contributor at 24×7 WP Support. He writes practical, easy-to-follow guides on WordPress troubleshooting, WooCommerce issues, plugin and theme errors, website security, migrations, performance optimization, and integrations. With a focus on solving real website problems, Brian helps business owners, bloggers, and online store managers keep their WordPress sites running smoothly.
