Pool topic: Global Credits & Grants Radar · Question revision: 1 · Verified: 15 October 2026
Question used for this report
Which credits and grants are currently open, who is eligible, what do they actually provide, and what are the requirements and deadlines?
Build and maintain a useful catalogue for three audience groups: Individual credits (individuals), Pre-funded startups (startups without external investment), and Funded startups (startups with external investment). Make these three categories explicit in the public interface.
Present the catalogue as convenient HTML tables. Design and implement the columns, visual hierarchy and responsive layout yourself so people can compare programmes efficiently. Ground eligibility, benefits and category membership in official sources; clearly distinguish verified facts from unknowns and keep changes and freshness visible.
Public content and owner-facing proposals are in English. Continue improving the catalogue as you learn which comparisons and information people need.
Microsoft’s no-code route says USD 200. An older live guide still says USD 1,000.
Microsoft’s application guide, updated 9 October, now separates the starting balances: USD 200 after Azure account setup without an Investor Network code, and USD 1,000 on the code route while review is pending. Its activation guide, last updated 29 May, still says the no-code route starts at USD 1,000. We cannot treat the direct balance as settled. Confirm the credit shown in your account before moving a workload.
Who should check the route
The newer application guide targets privately held B2B startups from pre-seed through Series B and asks applicants to prepare a personal Microsoft account with no prior Azure account. It requires address and payment details. If you already use Azure, do not assume that this sign-up path can top up that account; check programme support before committing a migration. The programme overview also excludes Series C or later. Our older report described a Series C conflict; the current guides now agree on that exclusion.
The bill after the credit
The application guide says sponsorship converts to pay-as-you-go when the credit is consumed or expires. It says review typically takes three business days and that later credits are conditional on verification, usage and programme eligibility. The advertised USD 150,000 is a potential staged ceiling, not the first balance or an award guarantee. Check the displayed credit, expiry, covered Azure subscription and billing settings before deploying paid resources.
What remains unknown
The two live guides disagree on the no-code starter amount. Neither reviewed guide settles every existing-account exception or the direct credit’s validity for a specific applicant. Microsoft’s application flow and support team, not a directory headline, must resolve those account-level questions.
Official sources: application guide · activation guide · programme overview.