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Deepak Gupta markStartup Offers
Datadog
Datadog

Datadog for Startups

Up to $100K in Datadog credits over 1 year for funded startups, APM, logs, metrics, RUM, and synthetics on the platform that defines enterprise observability.

Developer ToolsNeeds referral5–21 day reviewModerate to apply
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In a sentence

Datadog for Startups offers up to 1 year free Datadog Pro (up to $100,000) to pre-seed, seed, series a startups with a VC or accelerator referral. Review takes 5–21 business days.

Max value
1 year free Datadog Pro (up to $100,000)
Credits valid
12 months
Regions
Global
Last verified
Sep 2026

About

Datadog for Startups offers up to $100,000 in credits across the full Datadog platform: APM, infrastructure metrics, log management, RUM (real user monitoring), synthetics, security monitoring, and database monitoring. The program runs for 12 months and replaces almost any combination of separate observability tools.

The credits come with a dedicated startup CSM and access to office hours, Datadog explicitly designs this program to lock in the next generation of customers, so engineering investment in your account is unusually high for a credits program.

Tiers

Startup tier
Up to $100K in Datadog credits over 12 months + dedicated CSM
  • Less than $40M raised total
  • Founded within last 5 years
  • <200 employees
  • Affiliated with a Datadog VC partner OR an active accelerator program
How to qualify: Apply through datadoghq.com/partner/datadog-for-startups with your investor or accelerator named.

Eligibility

✓ You qualify if
  • Series A or earlier
  • Referred by a VC, hyperscaler, or vendor partner
  • Never a Datadog customer and not a prior Datadog for Startups recipient
✗ You don't qualify if
  • Current or former Datadog customer
  • Previously received Datadog for Startups credits
  • Series B or later

How to apply

  1. 1
    Confirm partner
    Verify your VC or accelerator is in the Datadog partner network.
  2. 2
    Submit application
    Apply with funding info, team size, and intended use.
    www.datadoghq.com/partner/datadog-for-startups ↗
  3. 3
    CSM scoping call
    Datadog will scope expected usage and credit allocation.
  4. 4
    Provision and onboard
    Account is provisioned with the credit allocation and 12-month clock starts.

What else you get

  • Dedicated startup CSM
  • Quarterly architecture reviews
  • Office hours and training
  • Discounted year-2 pricing for graduating startups

What credits cover (and don't)

✓ Covered
  • APM
  • Infrastructure
  • Logs
  • RUM
  • Synthetics
  • Database Monitoring
  • Security
✗ Not covered
  • Custom enterprise SLAs

Tactical tips

  • Tip 1.Don't burn credits on dev/staging. Tag environments and exclude non-prod from indexing to make credits last.
  • Tip 2.Logs is the line item that explodes, set retention rules early.
  • Tip 3.Datadog's pricing model is per-host + per-event; understand the volume math before you instrument everything.

Common rejection reasons

  • Already a paying Datadog customer
  • Series C+
  • No partner affiliation

Frequently asked about Datadog for Startups

Is Datadog for Startups free to apply?

Yes. Applying to Datadog for Startups does not cost anything and does not require giving up equity. Some programs require a payment method on file that activates only after credits are consumed or expire, check the program detail page for specifics.

How long does Datadog for Startups take to review applications?

Processing times are shown on the program detail page. Most programs reply within 1–3 weeks. Self-serve tiers (like AWS Activate Founders) can approve in 2–7 days; partner-referred tiers (like AWS Activate Portfolio) usually take 5–10 days.

Can I combine Datadog for Startups with other startup programs?

Most programs stack. The "Stacks well with" section on each detail page lists commonly combined programs. A few important exceptions: if you already claimed AWS credits via Brex or Mercury, your direct AWS Activate amount may be reduced.

What is the most common reason applications to Datadog get rejected?

The top rejection reasons are (1) using a personal Gmail/Outlook address instead of a company domain, (2) having a thin or placeholder website, and (3) mismatched information between the application and Crunchbase/Pitchbook. The tips section on the program page details program-specific factors.

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