Startup credits, grants and perks in the United States
35 credits, federal grants, tax benefits and accelerators for startups in the US, plus the cloud and AI programs American startups use most.
This page collects the money and free software a startup in the United States can claim: federal grants that take no equity, a tax benefit worth up to millions to founders, incorporation and banking perks, accelerators, and the cloud and AI programs that most American startups apply to first. 35 programs on CreditBase name the United States as a location.
Federal grants that take no equity
America's Seed Fund and the agency programs behind it pay companies to do research and development. The SBIR and STTR programs lapsed on 30 September 2025 and were reauthorised in April 2026 through 2031, with new rules. See the SBIR and STTR guide.
- SBIR / STTR ProgramsNon-dilutive awards, typically $150k–$2M+Grant · U.S. Government (SBA) · United States
- NSF America's Seed FundUp to $305k Phase I, $1.25M Phase II ($1.55M via Fast-Track)Grant · National Science Foundation · United States
- NIH SBIR/STTRUp to ~$323k Phase I, ~$2.15M Phase IIGrant · National Institutes of Health · United States
Tax benefit for founders and early investors
Qualified small business stock can exclude a large share of capital gains from federal tax. The 2025 tax law changed the limits for stock issued after 4 July 2025. Read the QSBS guide.
- Qualified Small Business Stock (QSBS, §1202)Exclude up to $15M (or 10× basis) of capital gainsGov. scheme · U.S. Internal Revenue Service · United States
Incorporation, banking and payments
- Stripe Atlas$500 incorporation + $100k+ in partner perksDiscount · Stripe · Global, United States
- Brex for StartupsPartner rewards and creditsDiscount · Brex · United States
- Mercury Perks$5M+ in partner discountsDiscount · Mercury · United States
- Carta LaunchFree cap table (up to 25 stakeholders)Credits · Carta · United States
- PayPal Startup Fee WaiverWaiver of PayPal Checkout and domestic PayPal Credit Card Processing…Credits · PayPal · United States
- Aptible Startup ProgramFree for 6 monthsCredits · Aptible · United States
Accelerators
- Y Combinator$500k investment + $1M+ perksAccelerator · Y Combinator · United States, Global
Cloud and AI programs
The big clouds and AI labs run programs most US startups qualify for. The largest tiers usually come through a partner investor or accelerator.
- AWS ActivateUp to $5,000 self-serve (Founders); up to $200,000 with an Activate Provider (Portfolio)Credits · Amazon Web Services · Global
- Google for Startups Cloud ProgramUp to $200,000 (up to $350,000 for AI-first startups)Credits · Google Cloud · Global
- Microsoft for Startups Founders HubUp to $150,000 in Azure creditsCredits · Microsoft · Global
- NVIDIA InceptionFree membership + GPU/cloud credits & discountsAccelerator · NVIDIA · Global
- Anthropic Startup ProgramUp to $100K in additional API credits for VC-backed startups, plus up to $45K in partner perksCredits · Anthropic · Global
- OpenAI for StartupsAPI credits via partner VCsCredits · OpenAI · Global
Founders outside the US
Many of these programs accept founders from other countries, and a US company is the usual route for raising from US investors. See how non-US founders set up in the US.
How to apply without losing months
- Incorporate in the right form. A Delaware C-corporation is the standard for venture funding, and it is also what QSBS needs.
- Claim the quick wins first. Cloud, banking and payments credits come in days. Federal grants take many months and need a registered account on each agency's portal.
- Read the agency solicitation, not a summary. Grant topics, award sizes and dates change with each solicitation.
- Keep your ownership records clean. Federal grants and QSBS both depend on who owns the company and when shares were issued.
More
- Investors writing cheques in the US: US VC and investor directory
- Compare cloud programs: Startup credit programs compared
- Machine-readable data: Developer API
Common questions
What free money can a US startup get without giving up equity?
Federal SBIR and STTR grants and the National Science Foundation's seed fund fund research and development without taking equity. They are competitive and slower than credits.
Do I need a US company to use these programs?
Federal grants require a US-owned small business. Many cloud, AI and banking programs only need a registered company, and a Delaware C-corporation is the usual structure for US venture funding.
Are the amounts guaranteed?
No. Values are up-to amounts and terms change. Confirm on the provider's own page before you apply.
Values are “up to” amounts and terms change: confirm on the provider’s page before you rely on them.