Azure startups - redeemed credits not allocated

Use the Microsoft for Startups tools and support flow to locate and, if needed, move the credits; self-service options in the Azure portal are limited once the initial activation did not complete correctly.

1. Confirm whether credits were ever activated
   • Sign in to the Microsoft for Startups Portal with the startup account used for the Investor Offer.
   • On the Home/Benefits page, check whether the Azure credit benefit shows as:
     • “Activate Azure” (not yet activated), or
     • Already activated with an associated Microsoft account (MSA).
   • If “Activate Azure” is still available, follow the activation steps under How to Redeem your Azure Credits:
     1. Select Activate Azure.
     2. Choose Link Microsoft account and sign in with the MSA that should own the credits.
     3. Complete the Azure sign‑up (including payment method). Credits can take up to 24 hours to appear.
2. Check for an existing Azure Sponsorship subscription
   • Using each MSA that might have been used during onboarding:
     1. Sign in to the Azure portal.
     2. Go to Subscriptions and look for a subscription type such as Azure Sponsorship.
   • If a sponsorship subscription appears under any MSA, that is where the credits were applied.
3. If the credits are on the wrong account or tenant
   • If a sponsorship subscription is found but is linked to the wrong MSA/tenant, an entitlement transfer is required.
   • Submit a program support ticket from the Microsoft for Startups Portal:
     1. Sign in to the Microsoft for Startups Portal.
     2. Select the ? icon (top‑right).
     3. Choose Submit a Support Ticket.
     4. Explain that the Investor Offer credits were activated during a period when the tenant was blocked (AADSTS5000225), and request an entitlement transfer of the Azure Sponsorship to the current tenant/MSA.
4. If no sponsorship subscription exists and the benefit shows as already redeemed
   • If the portal shows the Azure benefit as redeemed but no Azure Sponsorship subscription exists under any MSA:
     • Open a support ticket via the Microsoft for Startups Portal as above and request:
       • Verification of the MSA/tenant where the Investor Offer credits were actually allocated, and
       • Either correction of the activation (attaching the credits to the current tenant) or re‑issuance if activation failed.
   • If unsure which MSA was used at all, explicitly ask support to help identify the account that holds the sponsorship.
5. If the benefit has not been activated yet
   • If the benefit is still in “Activate Azure” state and the 90‑day activation window from accepting the program agreement has not passed:
     • Activate now following the documented steps; the credits will then be attached to the new Azure Sponsorship subscription created during activation.
   • If the 90‑day window has passed and activation was never completed, the offer may have expired; in that case, support via the Startups Portal is required to confirm status and next steps.

In all cases where the Investor Offer state and the Azure subscriptions do not match (no visible sponsorship, only an expired free trial), resolution requires Microsoft for Startups program support to inspect the Investor Offer record and, if appropriate, move or reissue the sponsorship to the active tenant.

References:

• Azure Credit Offer
• Azure Activation FAQs
• Properly Setting Up Your Azure Account
• Microsoft for Startups Portal
• Azure Credits and Billing FAQs