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Unclaimed
Discovery tool, not advice. Every figure is the published rule, not a decision on your case.
Credits and in-kind

OpenAI for Startups

Status

Open continuously

No deadline — apply whenever you are ready.

Always open
Amount
Not published

API credits, rate-limit upgrades and solutions-engineering time, not cash. OpenAI publishes no credit amount and no open self-service application: credits are routed through partner VCs. The page states some VCs 'like Thrive Capital, Sequoia, a16z, Kleiner Perkins, and Conviction Partners, are part of our partner network' and that their portfolio companies 'may be eligible for benefits like free API credits'. Founders need a referral code from their VC. Amount recorded as null. (Separately, OpenAI's Researcher Access Program offers up to $1,000 of API credits for research projects.)

Funder

OpenAI, L.L.C.

private · supranational

Deadline: Open all year — Rolling, but gated by VC referral.

Your odds
Not published

This funder does not publish a success rate. We rank it using the rate observed across similar programmes and label it as an estimate rather than implying we know.

Effort
moderate

Moderate — a form and supporting documents.

Who can apply

Effectively restricted to portfolio companies of OpenAI's VC partner network. OpenAI does not publish an open application route for API credits.

How to apply

  1. Confirm your investor is part of OpenAI's VC partner network and request a referral code. — link
  2. Submit the credits request with the referral code, product description and API use case.
  3. Track credit usage in the OpenAI platform billing settings once granted. — link

What you will need

Related reading: How grant deadlines actually work

Apply on the funder's site

Source. https://openai.com/business/why-openai/startups/

"Some VCs, like Thrive Capital, Sequoia, a16z, Kleiner Perkins, and Conviction Partners, are part of our partner network."

Verified on 14 August 2026

Source: openai.com

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