NVIDIA Inception Program + Azure Cloud Credits

Question

NVIDIA Inception Program + Azure Cloud Credits

Kathleen Schmidt 20

Hello, my company was recently selected into the NVIDIA Inception program, and I have been looking at all of the cloud credits available. I need the credits for model training and have a few questions regarding Azure's free credits offer. If accepted into the Microsoft Azure credits program, how long would the free credits be available for (i.e. 6-12 months)? Additionally, are the cloud credits given in batches (i.e. you use 1k then receive 5k then receive 25k, etc.)? I would appreciate any additional information that can be provided as I am looking to use a program that will offer sustainability for my project. Thank you.

Pranay Reddy Madireddy 6,340 Reputation points Moderator

2025-06-13T18:56:25.7666667+00:00

Hi Kathleen Schmidt

If your application is approved, the Azure credits will be made available as a lump sum (for example, $1,000), rather than distributed in smaller batches. These credits are valid for a set time frame typically; you’ll have 90 days to use the credits under the startup offer. Any unused credits will expire after that period.

In general, your participation in the program lasts for one year from the date you activate your credits. If you are later approved for additional Azure credits, your participation can be extended by another year from the date of that approval.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/signups/overview
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-for-startups/benefits/azure-credits-billing#using-azure-credits

Kindly let us know if the above helps or you need further assistance on this issue.

Please do consider to “up-vote” wherever the information provided helps you, this can be beneficial to other community members.
Kathleen Schmidt 20 Reputation points

2025-06-13T19:41:00.0966667+00:00

Thank you for your response! I wanted to clarify something further. My company was accepted into the NVIDIA Inception program, which connects us to Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub, which I thought was different than the Azure Startup program, unless I am mistaken. According to the NVIDIA site and Microsoft’s description of Founders Hub, the Azure credits are granted in tiers (e.g., $1k, then $5k, then $25k, etc.) as our usage grows — rather than as a single lump sum.

Could you please confirm if this tiered approach is accurate for startups accessing Azure credits through the Founders Hub pathway specifically? I’m trying to make sure I understand the timeline and structure so I can plan sustainable infrastructure for model training.

Thank you again!

Answer accepted by question author

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Pranay Reddy Madireddy 6,340 Reputation points Moderator

2025-06-13T18:56:25.7666667+00:00

Hi Kathleen Schmidt

If your application is approved, the Azure credits will be made available as a lump sum (for example, $1,000), rather than distributed in smaller batches. These credits are valid for a set time frame typically; you’ll have 90 days to use the credits under the startup offer. Any unused credits will expire after that period.

In general, your participation in the program lasts for one year from the date you activate your credits. If you are later approved for additional Azure credits, your participation can be extended by another year from the date of that approval.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/signups/overview
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-for-startups/benefits/azure-credits-billing#using-azure-credits

Kindly let us know if the above helps or you need further assistance on this issue.

Please do consider to “up-vote” wherever the information provided helps you, this can be beneficial to other community members.
Kathleen Schmidt 20 Reputation points

2025-06-13T19:41:00.0966667+00:00

Thank you for your response! I wanted to clarify something further. My company was accepted into the NVIDIA Inception program, which connects us to Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub, which I thought was different than the Azure Startup program, unless I am mistaken. According to the NVIDIA site and Microsoft’s description of Founders Hub, the Azure credits are granted in tiers (e.g., $1k, then $5k, then $25k, etc.) as our usage grows — rather than as a single lump sum.

Could you please confirm if this tiered approach is accurate for startups accessing Azure credits through the Founders Hub pathway specifically? I’m trying to make sure I understand the timeline and structure so I can plan sustainable infrastructure for model training.

Thank you again!

Answer 1

Hi Kathleen Schmidt,

Yes, your understanding is correct—Azure credits through the Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub are provided in a tiered structure based on your startup’s stage and application details.

Startups receive an initial credit amount of $1,000, $5,000, or $25,000. If you're approved for $5,000 or less, you can request additional credits after completing tasks in your verification checklist. Once approved, more credits are added, and your sponsorship end date is extended by one year from the approval date.

For startups that receive $25,000 or more, Microsoft automatically reviews the account around 45 days before credits expire. If the required criteria are met—such as task completion and a good Engagement Score—more credits and program time may be granted automatically.

To qualify for higher credit tiers (like $150,000), startups must meet extra requirements. These typically include using at least 50% of their current credits, submitting a product demo video, and providing proof of funding, customer traction, or partnerships.
Refer to the doc, Get More Benefits FAQs

This tiered system is designed to grow with your startup, helping you scale effectively—such as supporting tasks like model training. To make the most of the program, be sure to monitor your credit balance on the Founders Hub portal and complete any required tasks to unlock additional benefits.

Please reach out to us if you have any other queries.

If the information is helpful, please Accept Answer & Upvote so that it would be helpful to other community members.

Anonymous

2025-06-16T18:02:08.68+00:00

Glad to hear that your issue got resolved. Please don't hesitate to reach out to us if you have any further queries.

Thank you
Amir Sojoudi 0 Reputation points

2026-08-13T01:47:19.1666667+00:00

We’re part of NVIDIA Inception. Initially, we were automatically affiliated with Microsoft Founder Hub, but suddenly, our access was removed. We were then prompted to enter our Partner Referral Code, which NVIDIA Inception doesn’t provide. All the initial credits we had received disappeared, and we were charged a lot for this transparency issue from Azure as we were not even able to track our usage. We have reached out to Azure support but got no helpful answer as they say we just have to get the NVIDIA Inception referral code.