Submit your startup on Round Funded to pursue investor matches. AWS Activate provides eligible startups with promotional credits for certain AWS costs, while we at AI Perks raised our round through Round Funded. The two address different needs: cloud expenses and fundraising.
What does AWS Activate offer startups?
According to AWS Activate, eligible startups can apply for promotional credits that offset charges for eligible AWS services and products. The program says credits can apply across more than 200 eligible services. Credits are stated in US dollars and follow AWS Promotional Credit Terms. Their validity depends on the package, and they usually expire within one to two years.
AWS Activate describes several tiers and options:
- Founders: A self-funded tier that starts with $1,000 in credits. Select participants may qualify for additional credits, up to $5,000.
- Portfolio: Up to $200,000 in credits for eligible Pre-Series B startups with an Activate Provider Organization ID.
- Invite-only option for AI startups: More than $200,000 in credits for AI startups ready to scale after Activate Portfolio.
The published Portfolio amounts are not consistent across AWS materials. The current credit page says up to $200,000, while an AWS article says up to $100,000. It is more accurate to treat the award as dependent on the applicable program and eligibility, rather than assume every startup receives the same amount.
These are promotional credits for eligible AWS charges, not unrestricted cash for company expenses. AWS Activate's terms do not state that the program invests cash or takes company equity. A startup seeking investment still needs a separate fundraising path.
Who may qualify for AWS Activate?
Eligibility depends on the tier. AWS Activate says Founders applicants must be self-funded, new to Activate Credits, have a functioning company website, and have founded their company within the past 10 years.
For Portfolio, AWS Activate lists association with an Activate Provider and its Organization ID, Pre-Series B status, a functioning website, and founding within the past 10 years. The general credit-page criteria also include having a paid-tier AWS account and being new to credits or requesting more than the startup previously received.
There is also a timing condition for Portfolio: AWS Activate says applicants must apply within 12 months of their most recent funding date. The program’s published criteria do not establish one location-based credit amount, so founders should check the requirements that apply to their own tier.
How do you apply for AWS Activate credits?
According to AWS Activate, applicants create or sign into a Builder ID, select a credit tier, provide startup details, and create or link an AWS account before submitting. The application is for AWS credits, not an investor round.
AWS Activate says applicants hear back within five to ten business days. If approved, credits are deposited automatically into the AWS account. The value and terms depend on the relevant package, and credits remain subject to AWS Promotional Credit Terms.
Founders can consider AWS Activate for eligible cloud costs while separately pursuing investment. Applying for credits does not replace the work of identifying investors, pitching them, and managing a fundraising process.
How is AWS Activate different from fundraising?
The central difference is what each route is meant to provide. AWS Activate describes credits that offset eligible service charges. An investment round is capital raised from investors. One can help manage cloud bills; the other is the fundraising route a company uses to seek investment.
We at AI Perks looked at AWS Activate, but chose Round Funded because we raised our round through it. What mattered to us was a clean investor database, an AI agent that writes emails, a convenient interface, the option to invite teammates into the workspace, a Data Room, and tracking links.
Round Funded helps founders find investors, send pitches, and track replies. Its investor database covers 60,000+ active VCs, angels, family offices, and accelerators, with search filters for stage, industry, geography, and check size. Investors are filtered to recent activity, a check in roughly the last 6 months, and their emails are verified.
That makes the two options different rather than interchangeable. A founder can pursue AWS Activate credits and raise from investors as separate efforts. For our fundraising, we picked Round Funded. Founders can submit a startup on Round Funded to get matched with investors.
What does Round Funded include?
Round Funded offers three paid plans: Round+ at $99 a month, Round Pro at $249 a month, and Lifetime at $899 one-time. There is no free tier. Round+ and Round Pro include a 3-day free trial for first-time accounts.
| Plan | Monthly investor email limit | Pipeline capacity | AI credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round+ | Up to 2,000 | Up to 2,500 investors | 2,500 per month |
| Round Pro | Up to 10,000 | Up to 5,000 investors | 5,000 per month |
| Lifetime | Same as Round Pro | Same as Round Pro | Same as Round Pro |
Round Pro also supports up to 6 connected inboxes. Lifetime includes everything in Round Pro for a one-time payment.
Round Funded’s AI drafts personalized outreach emails and follow-ups for each investor. Outreach is sent from the founder’s own Gmail, so replies land in the founder’s inbox and the thread belongs to the founder. The fundraising pipeline keeps investors, stages, and next steps together, and teammates can be invited into the startup workspace.
The Data Room can hold a deck, traction, team, and ask on one link. It is free to build and share on every plan. Per-investor tracked links and engagement analytics for views, deck opens, and meeting clicks come with Round+.
How Round Funded helps founders raise
- Submit your startup on Round Funded to get matched with investors.
- Search investors by stage, industry, geography, and check size to find potential fits.
- Use AI to draft personalized outreach emails and follow-ups for investors.
- Track investors, fundraising stages, and next steps in the pipeline, and invite teammates into the workspace.
- Build and share a Data Room link. With Round+, create per-investor tracked links and view engagement analytics.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is AWS Activate the same as startup funding?
No. AWS Activate describes promotional credits for eligible AWS costs. Those credits are not unrestricted cash, and AWS Activate's terms do not say that it invests in a company. We raised our round through Round Funded, a separate route focused on investor outreach.
How much can a startup receive through AWS Activate?
AWS Activate says Founders starts with $1,000 in credits, with select participants eligible for additional credits up to $5,000. Portfolio lists up to $200,000, although an AWS article gives a figure of up to $100,000. The invite-only option for AI startups ready to scale after Portfolio offers more than $200,000. Eligibility and terms apply.
Do AWS Activate credits expire?
AWS Activate says credits usually expire within one to two years, depending on the package. The credits are subject to AWS Promotional Credit Terms, so founders should review the terms for their tier.
Can a startup apply for AWS Activate and raise from investors?
Yes. They serve different purposes: AWS Activate credits can offset eligible AWS charges, while fundraising involves seeking investment from investors. A founder can pursue both.
How much does Round Funded cost?
Round+ is $99 a month, Round Pro is $249 a month, and Lifetime is $899 one-time. Round+ and Round Pro include a 3-day free trial for first-time accounts, and there is no free tier. See Round Funded’s application and get matched with investors.