GitHub for Startups: $10,000 in platform credits

What you get

• $10,000 in GitHub credits for up to 12 months, applied to your Enterprise account
• Usable on GitHub Enterprise licences, GitHub Copilot (licences, premium models, agentic features), GitHub Advanced Security, Actions and other metered products
• Enterprise includes 50k Action minutes and GitHub Packages
• Tailored onboarding, office hours and technical best-practice guidance

Eligibility

• Affiliated with a GitHub for Startups partner (VC, accelerator or startup support organisation)
• Received outside funding up to Series B. Non-equity credits don't count as funding
• New to GitHub Enterprise: not on an Enterprise plan in the past six months
• Never received GitHub credits or Enterprise licences before, including through Microsoft

GitHub only gives this offer to startups referred by one of its partner investors, accelerators or communities. Check with your investor or accelerator for a referral code first.

How GitHub for Startups works

Credit types and validity

• $10,000 flexible GitHub credits, valid up to 12 months from approval
• Usable on GitHub Enterprise licences, Copilot (licences, premium models, agentic features), Advanced Security, Actions and other metered products
• Onboarding, office hours and technical guidance

How the credits are applied and when they expire

Credits go to the Enterprise Cloud account named in the application and can't be transferred. Expect an authorisation charge on your payment method within a few weeks; a failed authorisation locks the account. Credits expire after 12 months or when used up, whichever comes first. Active products then move automatically to standard paid billing. If an Azure subscription is linked, GitHub credits are used first. Downgrading early forfeits the remaining credit and you can't reapply.

Approval time

2–3 business days (an email is sent to the applicant's primary email)

For founders in India

No India-specific terms published. The programme supports only GitHub Enterprise Cloud on GitHub.com, not data-residency enterprises, which matters if you need in-country data hosting.

How to apply, step by step

1. Confirm your investor or accelerator is a GitHub for Startups partner ("See our partners"). Any investor, incubator or accelerator can be referred to join
2. Apply through your partner's GitHub for Startups route
3. Use a GitHub Enterprise Cloud account on GitHub.com. Enterprise Server and Data Residency enterprises aren't supported
4. Watch the applicant's primary email: GitHub replies within 2–3 business days
5. Keep a valid payment method on file. Expect an authorisation charge within a few weeks of onboarding

Documents and details to keep ready

• A GitHub Enterprise Cloud account (the credits apply only to the account you submit)
• Partner affiliation and proof of outside funding
• A valid payment method
• GitHub does not publish a document list for the application

Common reasons applications are declined

• Not affiliated with a GitHub for Startups partner
• No outside funding, or past Series B (non-equity credits don't count as funding)
• On a GitHub Enterprise plan within the past six months
• Previously received GitHub credits or Enterprise licences, including via Microsoft
• Using GitHub Enterprise Server or Enterprise with Data Residency (only Enterprise Cloud on GitHub.com is supported)

Tips before you apply

• Get your investor's or accelerator's GitHub for Startups referral link before applying
• Have a valid card on file: the authorisation charge fails otherwise and the account is locked
• Track credit burn yourself (Copilot premium models and Actions are metered); GitHub won't stop billing when credits run out
• Don't downgrade from Enterprise mid-programme: unused credits are forfeited and you can't reapply

Terms to know

• Credits expire after 12 months from approval or when used up, whichever comes first. Products then switch to standard paid billing
• Redeemable once and non-transferable. Downgrading early forfeits remaining credits and stops you reapplying
• If an Azure subscription is linked, credits are used first, then usage bills to Azure