Startups: Companies that are in their initial stages of business and typically developing a business model and seeking financing.
Hello Saiprasad Cherukuri
Individual Microsoft employees cannot personally grant Azure credits to external companies. Azure credits are issued only through official Microsoft programs and offers (for example, Microsoft for Startups, Azure Sponsorship, or the Nonprofit Azure grant). Any credit must be requested and approved via those channels, employees may facilitate introductions but cannot allocate credits themselves.
External companies can legitimately get Azure credits through below programs:
- Microsoft for Startups (Investor Offer / Free Trial credits): Startups can receive credits by applying to Microsoft for Startups. Details and eligibility are documented here:
- Program overview: What is Microsoft for Startups?
- Benefits and activation: Azure Credit Offer
- Free trial credits (up to $5,000): Get up to $5,000 in Azure credits
- Credits are applied as an Azure Sponsorship subscription and managed in the Azure portal, they aren’t transferable arbitrarily between accounts or billing profiles.
- Azure Sponsorship (by invitation only)
- Some customers may be invited to a limited Azure Sponsorship offer. Terms and exclusions are public: Microsoft Azure Sponsorship Offer.
- This offer is not something a field employee can issue on their own, it’s managed via formal invitation workflows. Link: https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/pricing/offers/ms-azr-0036p/
- Nonprofits
- Eligible nonprofits can activate the annual $2,000 Azure grant through the Nonprofit Hub.
- Program page: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/nonprofits/azure
- Activation guidance: Activate your Azure grant
- Developer credits (Visual Studio subscribers)
- Monthly developer credits are for Visual Studio subscription holders and aren’t a mechanism to fund external companies.
- Details: Monthly Azure credits for Visual Studio subscribers
Important billing facts to avoid confusion:
- Credits are tied to a specific subscription and billing profile. Under Microsoft Customer Agreement, the credit appears as a resource that can be moved only within the same billing profile, you cannot use it to fund unrelated external subscriptions. See: Manage a Microsoft Azure credit resource under a subscription.
- Credits can’t be shared/merged across multiple accounts and can’t be applied to MCA accounts unless the program’s rules allow it. Please see the official FAQs: Azure Credits & Billing FAQs (Microsoft for Startups).
If you have any other questions or queries, please do let us know.
Thanks,
Suchitra.