Credit Extension Request

Question

Credit Extension Request

SK Abir 0

Dear Microsoft for Startups Support Team,

I am writing to request a 1-year timeline extension on our Azure credits for Skoder Technologies, as well as an evaluation for continued support. We are in the $150,000 Founders Hub tier, with $83,000 remaining and an August 1 expiration date.

For two years, our bootstrapped team has built our AI-first Personalized Learning Platform, Campus365. We are building an Autonomous Academy where students learn alongside an AI engine and graduate with AI-verified certificates.

Our recent pilot launch has seen explosive early engagement: in just six days, users have averaged 15,000 minutes on the platform. We are rapidly expanding our application with real-time gamification and live XP leaderboards. This raw innovation has already earned us recognition from the ICT Division, IBM for Startups, INSEAD, and the top 10 universities in Bangladesh.

Crucially, our infrastructure is 100% dependent on Azure Cloud. Our consumption will scale rapidly as we transition to full production. We rely heavily on Azure AI Studio to host our GPT-3 models, and we utilize Azure AI Foundry to deploy the advanced GPT, Sora, and image generation models that power our core educational engine. Azure also handles our backend, managing scalable PostgreSQL databases via Plesk.

Losing our remaining $83,000 on August 1 would severely impact our runway just as we scale our user base. A 12-month extension allows us to support these heavy AI workloads and solidify our long-term commitment to the Azure ecosystem.

Thank you for your initial allocation and for helping us build the future of education.

Best regards,

K M Abir Mahmud CEO - Skoder

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1 answer

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Answer 1

There is no direct self-service method to extend Azure credit expiration. The supported path is to either qualify for additional credits through program progress or contact Microsoft for Startups Program Support for review.

Supported facts for this case:

Startup credits increase over time based on verified progress, service adoption, usage patterns, and sustained Azure usage.
Progress is evaluated on recent activity and sustained usage patterns, not one-time spikes.
Once requirements are met, credit increases are handled automatically.
Microsoft for Startups Program Support handles credit activation issues, credit expiration or usage questions, and program-related support.
If help is needed during the application or benefit process, the Microsoft for Startups support portal is the program-specific support channel.

A concise support request should focus on:

Current credit tier and remaining balance
Expiration date
Sustained Azure usage and production ramp
Request for review of eligibility for additional credits or program support
Any blockers affecting benefit usage or account status

Suggested wording:

"Requesting review of Azure Startup credits before expiration. The startup is currently in the Microsoft for Startups program with an August 1 credit expiration date and remaining balance on the sponsorship. Requesting evaluation for any eligible credit increase, extension tied to program progress, or other continued support based on sustained Azure usage, verified progress, and upcoming production scale. Azure is the primary cloud platform for application hosting and AI workloads. If additional verification or usage review is required, please advise the next steps."

To proceed:

Sign in to the Microsoft for Startups portal.
Open a program support request.
Include the expiration date, remaining credits, Azure usage details, and any verification or support blockers.
If the issue involves Azure quota or AI model quota, include the Azure support request number so the startups team can coordinate with the relevant Azure teams.