The Google for Startups Cloud Program gives early-stage companies Google Cloud credits, technical training and extra perks. Pre-funded startups can get $2,000, while funded startups between Pre-Seed and Series A can receive $200,000 to $350,000 spread over two years, with the largest awards reserved for AI startups. We checked Google’s official programme page on 1 November 2026.
What you get
The programme has one unfunded tier and two funded ones.
| Tier | Credits | Aimed at |
|---|---|---|
| Start | $2,000 | Startups founded in the past 2 years with a working MVP and plans to raise venture funding |
| Scale | Up to $200,000 over two years | Startups with verifiable Pre-Seed to Series A funding |
| Scale AI | Up to $350,000 over two years | AI startups with verifiable Pre-Seed to Series A funding |
How the two-year credits are paid out
The funded tiers are not one lump sum. Google’s own footnotes describe the split:
- AI startups: in year one, credits cover 100% of eligible usage up to $250,000. In year two, they cover 20% of eligible usage, up to another $100,000.
- Other startups: in year one, credits cover 100% of usage up to $100,000. In year two, they cover 20% of usage, up to another $100,000.
The year-two portion only pays a fifth of your bill. To draw the full extra $100,000 you would need roughly $500,000 of eligible usage that year, so most startups will not reach the full headline figure.
Other benefits on the funded tiers
- Credits that work on Google’s frontier models such as Gemini and Gemma.
- Technical and product training, including Google Skills courses.
- 12 months of Google Workspace Business Plus at no extra cost. This needs a separate application, and your domain must not have had a paid Workspace plan from 31 days before you apply to the programme.
- Monthly Google Maps Platform credits, again through a separate application.
- Access to Startup Success Managers and Customer Engineering teams as you grow, depending on your tier.
What the credits cover
Credits apply to Google-owned Cloud Platform products billed on a pay-as-you-go or consumption basis. Google excludes products billed by subscription, pre-pay or annual licence, and all third-party products, including anything bought through Google Cloud Marketplace or Model Garden. Third-party models are billed directly and are not covered. Workspace, Maps and Google Ads offers arrive as separate credits or discounts, explained in the welcome email.
Who qualifies
For the funded tiers, Google looks for Pre-Seed to Series A funding raised within the last 3-5 years, depending on tier. It assesses funding stage and type, business model, founder experience, product usage, vertical, age and growth. Only venture-style funding counts for Scale.
Google will not accept:
- Companies that have gone public or been acquired.
- Educational institutions, government bodies and nonprofits.
- Personal blogs or content sites.
- Dev shops, consultancies and agencies.
- Cryptocurrency mining companies, or companies distributing tokens against local regulatory guidance.
- Businesses outside Google’s Acceptable Use Policy or in regulated industries.
You must also be in a region where Google Cloud is generally available and can be bought self-service. Previous Google Cloud credit usage can affect your result.
Stealth startups that are funded should ask their accelerator or VC to verify them with Google. Unfunded stealth founders are asked to wait until they have a working website.
How to apply
- Create a Google Cloud account if you do not have one, and note your 18-character billing account ID under Billing in the console.
- Make sure your business email matches your public website domain, and that the Cloud account and billing ID are owned and administered by someone on that same domain.
- Check your website is live and describes the company, the team and the product.
- Apply through the programme page, listing any investors or accelerators you work with.
- Watch your inbox, including spam, for an automated decision.
Google says most applicants hear back within 5-7 days. Incomplete applications or ones that need special handling can take 10 days or more.
Things to check before you apply
- Domain matching is strict. Applying from a Gmail address or a domain that differs from your website is a common reason for delay or rejection.
- Choose the billing account carefully. Credits land on the billing account you select, so make sure it is attached to the projects you plan to use.
- No placeholder sites. Google screens out empty pages and sites with a high volume of AI-generated text or images.
- Credits are not transferable. Only the original applicant can use them. Sharing, splitting or reselling them ends both the credits and the enrolment.
- Year two is partial coverage. Plan your budget around 20% coverage after the first year, not full coverage.
- Rejected? Google’s reply tells you what to do next. Sometimes it is a quick account fix, and sometimes you are pointed to the $300 free trial or AI Studio.
How it compares
The Start tier is modest, but it is open to startups that have not raised. If you have raised from a recognised investor, the Scale tiers are among the largest cloud credit offers available, and AI startups get the biggest share. Students and researchers should look at Google’s separate education credit programmes.
