Activating AWS Credits from YC Startup School

Step 1 — Find the AWS deal on the Startup School Deals page

1. Log in to startupschool.org
2. Navigate to the Deals section (usually found in your dashboard or sidebar)
3. Find the AWS Activate offer — this gives you an Organization ID (a 4–5 digit code) that YC provides specifically for Startup School participants

The Organization ID is the key piece — it links your application to YC's AWS Activate partnership and unlocks the Portfolio-tier credits.

Step 2 — Apply via AWS Activate Portfolio

1. Go to aws.amazon.com/startups/credits
2. Click "Activate Portfolio" (not "Founders" — that only gives $1,000)
3. Fill out the application:
   • Enter your Organization ID from the Startup School deals page
   • Use the same email address you registered with Startup School — AWS cross-checks this with YC
   • Provide your company name, website, and AWS account ID (if you already have one)
4. Submit the application

Step 3 — Create or link your AWS account

• If you don't have an AWS account yet, you'll be prompted to create one during or after the application
• If you already have an account, make sure to apply using that account's root email or specify the account ID

Step 4 — Wait for approval and credit activation

• AWS typically approves applications within a few business days (sometimes within 24 hours)
• Once approved, credits will appear in your AWS Billing console under Credits
• You'll also receive a confirmation email

Important notes

• Use your Startup School registered email — mismatches are the most common reason applications get rejected or delayed
• Credits typically expire 2 years from the date you apply, not from when you use them
• You may be able to stack credits from other sources (Stripe Atlas, FounderPass, etc.) on top of these
• If you're based in China, the deal structure is different ($1,500 credits + $3k rebate, valid 6 months)

Will Your Existing AWS Account / Credits Be a Problem?

The key rule from AWS Activate:

You are ineligible if you have previously received AWS Activate credits of equal or greater value from an Activate Provider.

The "one account per company" nuance

What to do

1. Check your existing credits — go to AWS Billing Console → Credits, and look at the description of your current credits to see if they came from AWS Activate
2. If they're non-Activate credits — you're almost certainly fine; just apply normally and link the credits to your existing account
3. If they came from Activate — you may need to contact AWS Activate support directly and explain the situation; in some cases they allow it if the prior credits were a lower tier

Applying to an existing AWS account

Azure Credits via YC Startup School

What you likely get

• $1,000 in credits instantly (no verification needed, valid 90 days)
• Up to $5,000 total after business verification (additional $4,000, valid 180 days)

Note: Microsoft restructured this program in June 2025. The old tiers that gave unfunded startups up to $150k are gone. Now, without an investor affiliation, the cap is $5k. If YC counts as an "investor affiliate" for your specific cohort, you may unlock higher tiers ($100k+) — check your Startup School deals page for the exact offer.

How to Activate — Step by Step

1. Go to your Startup School Deals page → find the Microsoft/Azure offer → click the redemption link (it may give you a referral code)
2. Go to startups.microsoft.com and sign in with a personal Microsoft Account (MSA) — not a work/school account
3. Click "Activate Azure" on your dashboard
4. Enter the referral code from Startup School (if provided) to get the full offer amount
5. A new Azure Sponsorship subscription is created automatically with the credits applied
6. After activation, complete business verification to unlock the additional $4,000

Will Your Existing Azure Account Be a Problem?

❗ "Ensure you don't have an existing Azure subscription. If you do, you aren't eligible for the startup credit offer."

Your Options

1. Use a different Microsoft personal account (MSA) — if your existing Azure is under a work/school account or a different MSA, you can sign up with a fresh personal MSA to redeem the credits. The credits will live on a new Azure Sponsorship subscription, separate from your existing one.
2. Contact Microsoft for Startups directly — if your company already has credits from another Microsoft program and you want to add the YC credits on top, reach out via startups.microsoft.com/contact — they sometimes accommodate this manually.
3. Just use a new subscription — since Azure credits always create a new isolated Sponsorship subscription anyway, many founders just keep it separate and use it for specific services (AI APIs, compute experiments, etc.) without migrating their main infrastructure.

Redeeming Azure Credits from YC Startup School

Step 1 — Get the referral code from Startup School

1. Log in to startupschool.org
2. Go to the Deals section in your dashboard
3. Find the Microsoft Azure offer and grab the referral code provided there

Step 2 — Apply via Microsoft for Startups

1. Go to startups.microsoft.com
2. Click "Get started now"
3. Enter the referral code from Startup School
4. Fill in your company details and submit the application
5. Microsoft reviews it within ~3 business days and sends a decision to your registered email

Step 3 — Activate the credits in the portal

1. Log back in to startups.microsoft.com
2. Go to the Benefits tab
3. Click "Redeem" in the Azure Sponsorship section
4. Sign in with the personal Microsoft Account (MSA) you want the credits applied to
5. A new Azure Sponsorship subscription is created automatically with your credits loaded in

Step 4 — Verify your credits are active

• Go to the Azure portal → Cost Management + Billing → Credits
• You should see your sponsorship credits listed with the expiry date
• You can now use them across eligible Azure services

Key things to keep in mind

• Use a personal Microsoft Account (MSA), not a work/school account — this is the most common mistake that causes errors
• The email you use to apply should match what YC has on record
• Credits land on a new Azure Sponsorship subscription — they cannot be applied to an existing pay-as-you-go subscription
• Activate within 90 days of approval or the offer expires

• Unsplash – Free Cat Photos — high-quality, free-to-use cat photos
• Pexels – Cat Images — free stock photos, no account needed
• The Cat API — random cat images via API, great for developers
• r/cats on Reddit — endless community-posted cat photos
• Giphy – Cat GIFs — if you want animated cats

• Unsplash – 750+ Free Cat Photos — free, no attribution required
• Bored Panda – 50 Cutest Cats — great collection with loads of adorable photos
• Canva Cat Photos — wide variety of high-quality cat images
• rawpixel – Cat Wallpapers — free cat wallpapers and PNGs