Claude for Startups
Quick answer
One free year of Claude Team (up to 5 Premium seats) plus $1,000 in API credits and up to $45,000 in partner tooling (Claude Startup Stack); portfolio companies of partner VCs can apply for up to an additional $100,000 in API credits.
What you get
- One free year of Claude Team (up to 5 Premium seats, new Team customers only)
- $1,000 in Claude API credits (valid for 6 months after grant, first-party API only)
- Claude Startup Stack: partner offers from Linear, Lovable, ElevenLabs, Granola, Hex and others worth up to $45,000 combined
- Biweekly 45-minute online office hours with the Anthropic Applied AI team
- Higher API rate limits, Claude Marketplace access, and community events
How the value is counted: Base package is roughly $1,000 in API credits plus the Team subscription and up to $45,000 in partner tooling; with a referral from an Anthropic partner VC, startups can receive up to an additional $100,000 in API credits.
Do you qualify?
Company founded within the past 5 years, or raised funding within the past 2 years (either one qualifies); open to bootstrapped, pre-seed, and VC-backed companies.
Likely yes, if…
- Bootstrapped teams (no VC required)
- Companies without a VC or partner referral
- Companies founded within ~5 years
- Teams that raised funding within ~2 years
Likely no, if…
- No hard blockers listed. Check the official page.
How to apply
- Open the official program page Anthropic startup program .
- Requires a Claude Console account, a work email on the same domain as the company website, and a short product description.
- Submit the application. Review typically takes Most applications are decided within minutes; the rest go through manual review in about 2-3 business days..
- Once approved, credits or seats are granted to your account per the terms below.
Catches worth knowing
FAQ
How much can you get from Claude for Startups?
Base package is roughly $1,000 in API credits plus the Team subscription and up to $45,000 in partner tooling; with a referral from an Anthropic partner VC, startups can receive up to an additional $100,000 in API credits.
Who qualifies for Claude for Startups?
Company founded within the past 5 years, or raised funding within the past 2 years (either one qualifies); open to bootstrapped, pre-seed, and VC-backed companies.
How long do the credits or perks last?
API credits expire 6 months after grant; the Team free period is 12 months.
How long does the application review take?
Most applications are decided within minutes; the rest go through manual review in about 2-3 business days.
What do you need to apply?
Requires a Claude Console account, a work email on the same domain as the company website, and a short product description.