OpenAI for Startups
OpenAI has stopped running a startup credits offer. There is no application path on any OpenAI-owned page.
This program no longer exists
OpenAI has stopped offering startup credits. There is no application form or published credit amount on any OpenAI-owned page as of September 14, 2026. The Ramp and Researcher Access routes this entry previously described are no longer offered.
About
OpenAI no longer offers startup credits. There is no application form and no published credit amount on any OpenAI-owned page.
OpenAI never ran a single flagship program the way Anthropic does. Credits arrived through side channels instead: a Ramp partnership worth $2,500 in API credits, the Researcher Access Program at around $1,000 for research and nonprofit affiliates, and invitation-only paths arranged through VCs. Those routes are what this page used to describe, and they are no longer offered.
The figures still circulating on perks sites come from those retired channels. Treat any listing that promises OpenAI startup credits today as out of date.
If you need model credits at an early stage, the live programs are listed below. Anthropic runs the closest equivalent with published terms, and the inference providers each publish their own.
Frequently asked about OpenAI for Startups
Is OpenAI for Startups still available?
OpenAI has stopped offering startup credits. There is no application form or published credit amount on any OpenAI-owned page as of September 14, 2026. The Ramp and Researcher Access routes this entry previously described are no longer offered.
What should startups use instead of OpenAI for Startups?
The closest live options are anthropic-startup-program, together-ai-startups, fireworks-startups. Each one is listed with its current terms and application link on this page.
Why is this page still published if the program ended?
Because founders still search for it. Removing the page would send them to third-party sites that are still republishing the old terms as if they were current. Keeping it, with the offer stripped out, is the only way to correct the record at the place people actually look.
How can I tell whether a startup credit program is still live?
Open the provider's own startup or partner page and look for a working application form with stated eligibility and credit amounts. Aggregator sites routinely keep listings up for years after a program ends, so a deal roundup is not evidence that the program exists.
Related programs
Anthropic Startup Program
$1K–$25K+ in Claude API credits plus priority rate limits for startups building with Claude.
NVIDIA Inception
Free membership for incorporated AI startups under 10 years old. Preferred GPU pricing arrives as a supplier rebate, not an NVIDIA invoice. No credit figure is published.
Mistral AI for Startups
Up to €30,000 in La Plateforme credits plus a cohort with mentorship, for early-stage teams building on Mistral's open-weight and frontier models.