Claude for Startups is Anthropic's program for early-stage founders building on Claude. Any early-stage startup can join for community and resources; to qualify for free Claude credits and priority (highest) rate limits, your company must have raised equity from an institutional investor, been founded within the last four years, and not previously received Anthropic startup credits. The application takes about two minutes.
About this offer
Claude for Startups gives founders building on Claude free API credits, access to Anthropic's highest rate limits, and a community of builders. The program is open to any early-stage founder — VC-backed or not — while the credits and priority limits are reserved for funded, early-stage companies. Apply in about two minutes with a Claude Console account and a company email.
Below is how the offer typically works and how to claim it. Exact eligibility and amounts are set by Claude for Startups and can change, so always confirm the current terms on their official page before applying.
What you get
Venture-backed startups can apply for free credits — enough to reach product-market fit on Anthropic — across the Claude API, Claude Code and agents.
Acceptance upgrades you to Anthropic's highest rate limits, so you can ship to production without throttling while you're on credits.
Meet like-minded founders at hackathons, Founder Days and meetups across six cities.
Be first to hear about launches, model releases and program perks — and build with Claude API, Claude Code, Managed Agents and Cowork.
How to claim Claude for Startups
Most startup programs are for early-stage companies — typically newly incorporated, below a funding or revenue threshold, and not previously enrolled in this offer. Confirm the current criteria on the Claude for Startups page.
Use the “Claim this deal” button below to go straight to Claude for Startups’s startup application. Some programs approve instantly; others ask a few questions about your company.
You may be asked to verify details like your website, incorporation or a partner referral (for example via an accelerator, VC or platform like Choose My Stack).
Once approved, the Free credits + priority rate limits is applied to your account — credits, a discount or free months, depending on the offer.
Frequently asked questions
Any early-stage founder or startup building with Claude can join the program for community and resources. To qualify for free Claude credits and priority rate limits, your company must have received equity funding from an institutional investor, been founded within the last four years, and not previously received Anthropic startup credits.
No — the program is open to any early-stage founder or startup, with or without VC backing. The free credits and highest rate limits are aimed at funded startups, but anyone can join for the community and resources. If you're backed by an Anthropic partner VC or accelerator, mention it in your application for potential additional benefits.
Fill out the application on Anthropic's Claude for Startups page — it takes about two minutes. You'll need a Claude Console account (the API console, not the Claude app), a company email address, your website, and a short description of what you're building.
Yes. Acceptance upgrades you to Anthropic's highest rate limits, so you can ship to production without throttling while you're on credits — useful as you scale usage across the Claude API, Claude Code and agents.
You keep building — standard API pricing kicks in automatically with no migration. If you need help optimizing costs as you scale, the Claude for Startups team can help.
