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I recently received the $1,000 credit from the Microsoft for Startups Founders program. However, after activating the credit, I noticed that the credits are only valid for 90 days. From what I’ve read online and in previous documentation, these credits are supposed to last for up to one year. I'm unsure if this is a recent policy change or a possible system issue.
My project is still in development, and I likely won’t be able to fully utilize the credits within 90 days. Is there any way to extend the validity period? I couldn’t find the appropriate option to submit a support ticket—it always seemed to eventually redirect me to the Q&A section. So I’m posting here for help. Thank you!
Yes you can extend and talk with Hub Support about this particular case,
The way you can open a ticket is going to: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-for-startups/application
Click on Founders Hub Support https://foundershub.startups.microsoft.com/login?drawer_open=true
😊 If my answer helped you resolve your issue, please consider marking it as the correct answer. This helps others in the community find solutions more easily. Thanks!
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Hello Linghong Chen,
Under the Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub program, the standard policy is that Azure credits are valid for one year from the activation date, unless otherwise specified. Startups are generally required to activate these credits within 90 days of accepting the program agreement. However, this 90-day activation window typically does not shorten the overall validity period to 90 days.
If your Azure credits are showing a validity of only 90 days after activation, this may indicate a system issue or an exception to the standard policy. In such cases, it is recommended to contact Microsoft for Startups support directly by raising as support request. When reaching out, be sure to include relevant details such as your account information, the credit amount, and the validity period currently shown.
Please refer to the following doc, Azure Activation FAQs
Additionally, you may want to request clarification on why the credit validity is limited to 90 days and whether it can be extended to the standard one-year period. Please also ensure that all tasks in the Founders Hub verification checklist have been completed, as this may impact your eligibility for credit extensions or additional benefits.
If the information is helpful, please Accept Answer & Upvote so that it would be helpful to other community members.
@Linghong Chen Just following up, Do you need more guidance or assistance ?
@Jose and @RNaredy Thank you both for your help. I’ve figured out the issue — there are actually two different programs. The $1,000 credit I received is part of the Azure for Startups program, which is valid for only 90 days and cannot be extended. In contrast, the Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub credits are valid for up to one year.This was frustrating because both programs target startups, and I didn’t realize I had enrolled in the shorter one. I found the Azure Startup Founders Hub through an internet search and saw a note saying that people who haven’t registered a company should click a separate link. I clicked the signup button on that page just to quickly check the requirements — but it immediately redirected me to the Azure portal, and I saw that I was already enrolled with the $1,000 credit, which must be used within 90 days!
Had I known the expiration timelines were different — and so much shorter — I would have definitely delayed activating the credits. It's too bad.
Also, I’m still unclear about which Azure services this $1,000 credit applies to — and whether it includes usage of OpenAI APIs, since the coverage might be different from the Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub program. Any clarification would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks I'm glad with helped, Please remember mark answer as correct so others in this community can find similar solutions.
If you found it helpful, could you kindly click the “Accept Answer and upvote” on the post.
@Jose Benjamin Solis Nolasco Thanks again for your help! While your response didn’t directly solve the issue, the link and the picture you shared and your suggested steps led me to investigate further. When I couldn’t achieve the expected result, it made me dig deeper — and that’s when I realized I had confused two separate programs.
So even though the final answer came through my own follow-up, your guidance helped me get there. I’m marking your answer as accepted to reflect that contribution and help others find the starting point. Appreciate your support!
Thank you!
@Jose Benjamin Solis Nolasco Thanks again for your help! While your response didn’t directly solve the issue, the link and the picture you shared and your suggested steps led me to investigate further. When I couldn’t achieve the expected result, it made me dig deeper — and that’s when I realized I had confused two separate programs.
So even though the final answer came through my own follow-up, your guidance helped me get there. I’m marking your answer as accepted to reflect that contribution and help others find the starting point. Appreciate your support!