Free CREDITS
Get free credits equivalent to 1,000,000 Serverless requests*
*Based on 5.5-second requests on 5090 GPUs - different GPUs or runtimes will reduce or increase the total number of calls.
• Flexible: use credits however fits your workload
• No restrictions on product type
• Credit amount based on 1M Serverless request equivalent
• No restrictions on product type
• Credit amount based on 1M Serverless request equivalent
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Flexible Credits
Use across Pods, Serverless, Instant Clusters, Public Endpoints, or Storage.
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No Restrictions
No product type limitations — apply credits however fits your workload.
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1M Request Equivalent
Credit amount based on 1M Serverless requests on 5090 GPUs.*
Credit Match
Get a 1:1 credit match up to $25K when you purchase credits
Load up to $25K, get up to $50K in total credits.
• You deposit up to $25,000 towards a spend commit contract
• We match it dollar-for-dollar
• Use across Pods, Serverless, or Instant Clusters
• We match it dollar-for-dollar
• Use across Pods, Serverless, or Instant Clusters
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30-Minute Onboarding Call
1:1 technical onboarding with our team.
SLA Options
Enterprise-grade uptime commitments available.
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Enterprise Path
Warm handoff to sales when you're ready to scale.
Program Tiers
The Runpod Startup Program has two acceptance tiers based on your stage and readiness.
Tier 1 — Full Partnership
Free Credits, 1:1 Credit Match, Onboarding
For venture-backed startups with production workloads and immediate infrastructure needs. You get starter credits to hit the ground running, a 1:1 credit match up to $25K when you invest alongside us, and a dedicated onboarding call with our team to architect your setup from day one.
Best fit: Series Seed–B+ startups spending (or ready to spend) $5K–$25K/mo on GPU infrastructure.
Tier 2 — 1:1 Credit Match
For earlier-stage startups with real AI workloads and a clear path to scale. No free credits — but when you're ready to invest, we match every dollar up to $25K on committed spend contracts. Self-serve onboarding with full platform access.
Best fit: Pre-Series A startups with working products and near-term GPU needs.
Both tiers get full access to Runpod's platform — Pods, Serverless, Instant Clusters, and Storage. The difference is the level of hands-on support and whether you receive starter credits upfront.
Tier 1 — Full Partnership
Free Credits, 1:1 Credit Match, Onboarding
For venture-backed startups with production workloads and immediate infrastructure needs. You get starter credits to hit the ground running, a 1:1 credit match up to $25K when you invest alongside us, and a dedicated onboarding call with our team to architect your setup from day one.
Best fit: Series Seed–B+ startups spending (or ready to spend) $5K–$25K/mo on GPU infrastructure.
Tier 2 — 1:1 Credit Match
For earlier-stage startups with real AI workloads and a clear path to scale. No free credits — but when you're ready to invest, we match every dollar up to $25K on committed spend contracts. Self-serve onboarding with full platform access.
Best fit: Pre-Series A startups with working products and near-term GPU needs.
Both tiers get full access to Runpod's platform — Pods, Serverless, Instant Clusters, and Storage. The difference is the level of hands-on support and whether you receive starter credits upfront.
What we look for
Startups that are typically a strong fit for the program:
Funding Status
─ Venture-backed (Seed to Series B+)
─ Active investors who can validate traction
─ Runway to scale infrastructure spend
Workload Type
─ Production inference at scale (API-based AI products)
─ Model training and fine-tuning pipelines
─ Compute-intensive R&D with clear production path
Timing
─ Ready to onboard now (not "in 6 months")
─ Infrastructure is a current bottleneck
─ New to Runpod (existing customers: contact your account manager)
Commitment
─ Prepared to invest $5K-$25K upfront for credit match
─ Looking for long-term infrastructure partner
─ Open to enterprise conversation as you scale
Funding Status
─ Venture-backed (Seed to Series B+)
─ Active investors who can validate traction
─ Runway to scale infrastructure spend
Workload Type
─ Production inference at scale (API-based AI products)
─ Model training and fine-tuning pipelines
─ Compute-intensive R&D with clear production path
Timing
─ Ready to onboard now (not "in 6 months")
─ Infrastructure is a current bottleneck
─ New to Runpod (existing customers: contact your account manager)
Commitment
─ Prepared to invest $5K-$25K upfront for credit match
─ Looking for long-term infrastructure partner
─ Open to enterprise conversation as you scale
Case Studies
See how startups scale smarter with Runpod.
The right infrastructure doesn’t just cut costs — it moves your roadmap forward. See how these teams shipped faster and scaled cleaner.
Play video
"Runpod has changed the way we ship because we no longer have to wonder if we have access to GPUs. We've saved probably 90% on our infrastructure bill, mainly because we can use bursty compute whenever we need it."
Read case study
https://media.getrunpod.io/latest/aneta-video-1.mp4
Play video
"Runpod has allowed the team to focus more on the features that are core to our product and that are within our skill set, rather than spending time focusing on infrastructure, which can sometimes be a bit of a distraction.”
Read case study
https://media.getrunpod.io/latest/gendo-video.mp4
Play video
"Runpod helped us scale the part of our platform that drives creation. That’s what fuels the rest—image generation, sharing, remixing. It starts with training."
Read case study
Play video
"Runpod allowed us to reliably handle scaling from zero to over 1,000 requests per second in our live application."
Read case study
https://media.getrunpod.io/latest/scatter-lab-video.mp4
Play video
"Runpod has allowed us to focus entirely on growth and product development without us having to worry about the GPU infrastructure at all."
Read case study
https://media.getrunpod.io/latest/magic-studios-video.mp4
Play video
"We could stop worrying about infrastructure and go back to building. That’s the real win.”
Read case study
Play video
“The main value proposition for us was the flexibility Runpod offered. We were able to scale up effortlessly to meet the demand at launch.”
Read case study
Play video
"After migration, we were able to cut down our server costs from thousands of dollars per day to only hundreds."
Read case study
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Play video
Runpod’s scalable GPU infrastructure gave us the flexibility we needed to match customer traffic and model complexity—without overpaying for idle resources.
Read case study
FAQs
Questions? Answers.
Everything you need to know about the Runpod Startup Program — eligibility, credits, and how to get started.
How many credits will my startup receive?
All Startup Program members receive credits equivalent to 1M Serverless requests, usable across any Runpod product. Additionally, we offer a 1:1 credit match up to $25,000 — you invest $25K, you get $50K in total credits. This structure ensures we're partnering with startups committed to building on Runpod, not just seeking free resources.
Do I need to be venture-backed to apply?
Venture backing is strongly preferred. Most startups accepted into the program have raised funding (Seed through Series B+), as it typically signals the team strength, traction, and growth trajectory we look for. That said, we review every application holistically. If you're pre-funding or bootstrapped, our self-serve platform offers the same powerful infrastructure with pay-as-you-go access — no application needed.
I'm already a Runpod customer. Can I apply?
The Runpod Startup Program is exclusively for new Runpod users who are onboarding for the first time. If you're an existing customer interested in enterprise benefits, volume discounts, or dedicated support, please contact your account manager or reach out to sales@runpod.io.
What's the acceptance rate?
The Runpod Startup Program is selective — we can't accept every applicant. We provide significant resources and dedicated support to each program member, so we focus on startups where there's a strong mutual fit. If you're not accepted, you can still use Runpod's full platform immediately through self-serve signup.
What is the credit match program?
Our 1:1 credit match means we invest alongside you. When you deposit funds into your Runpod account (up to $25,000), we match it dollar-for-dollar with bonus credits. Deposit $10K, get $20K in total credits. Deposit $25K, get $50K. This ensures both parties have skin in the game and aligns our incentives around your success.
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