AWS credits for Series B startups: after Activate, the money follows the work.

IActivate stops at Series B

AWS lists Activate eligibility as pre-Series B, founded in the last 10 years, with an AWS account on a paid plan.

So a startup that has closed a Series B cannot apply for new Activate Founders or Portfolio credits (AWS credits page). Earlier versions of this page said otherwise and capped Portfolio at the old figure. Both were wrong.

Credits you were granted before the round stay in your account until they expire. AWS says Activate credits usually expire within 1 to 2 years, depending on the package. Check the balance and expiry dates in the Billing console.

AWS Credits for AI Startups ($200,000 or more, by invitation) is invite only, through your AWS account manager. It is meant for AI startups ready to scale after Activate Portfolio.

IIWhat fits after Activate: MAP, POC and IW

Only an AWS consulting partner can request these. Each one is tied to a real piece of work, not to a funding round. $50K to $150K for startups. Depends on the workload; AWS approves.

• MAP (Migration Acceleration Program): You still run workloads on another cloud or in a data center and plan to move them to AWS. Your matched partner scopes the migration and files MAP funding when it qualifies.
• POC (proof of concept) funding: You want to test something before you commit, such as an AI feature on Amazon Bedrock or a new data platform. A POC can fit whether or not that workload runs on AWS today.
• IW (incremental workload) funding: You already run on AWS and are launching new work: a new product line, a new region, or a large customer that needs its own deployment.

AWS says MAP funds give partners cash or AWS promotional credits to speed up customer migrations, at each phase of the migration (AWS partner funding page, AWS MAP page). AWS offers migration investments, as AWS credits or partner investments, to offset one-time migration costs. Source: the AWS Startups migration page.

Earlier versions of this page quoted MAP percentages per phase. They are not on the AWS pages linked here, so they are gone. Your matched partner scopes the work, files the request, and AWS decides the amount.

IIIWho files each kind of AWS funding after Series B

With Activate closed to new applications, these are the AWS funding routes left. A partner files three of them. AWS invites you to the fourth.

IVLower rates for steady usage: Savings Plans

Funding pays for specific work. For the steady baseline you run every month, AWS offers Savings Plans: a usage commitment in exchange for a lower price. AWS says they save up to 72% compared to On-Demand prices.

Promotional credits do not pay Savings Plans or Reserved Instance upfront fees. If you still have credits, plan when to commit so you do not pay for a commitment while credits cover the same usage.

AWS Cost Explorer forecasts spend up to 18 months ahead (AWS docs). Use it to size a commitment and to see when your remaining credits run out. For pricing on larger committed spend, talk to your AWS account team.

VHow to plan the move off Activate

• Check what you have. Look up your remaining credits and their expiry dates in the Billing console.
• Forecast. Use Cost Explorer to see your spend over the next 18 months and when credits run out.
• List the work you plan: migrations still to do, tests, new products, regions and large customers.
• Get matched with a partner. The partner checks which items qualify for MAP, POC or IW funding, scopes the work and files the requests. AWS decides each one.
• Commit for the baseline. Once credits stop covering steady usage, compare Savings Plans for that baseline.