No deadline, no waiting for a cohort call: eight programs that accept applications every day of the year, with the link, the support and the fit check for each one.
Always open, and worth a look this week
An always-open startup program is a program with no application deadline: you apply the day you decide to, and most of them answer within weeks. That sounds like a small detail. For an early-stage founder it changes the whole calendar. Instead of waiting for a cohort call to open, you apply when your product is ready to show, and the credits or the network are there when you need them.
This list gathers eight programs that stay open all year. Four of them hand out cloud credits and tools, three are accelerators that invest, and one is a campus program in Paris. Every entry below links to the getfund program page, to the official page, and to a two-minute fit check that tells you whether your startup matches before you spend an afternoon on a form.
Which 8 programs can you apply to today?
The eight programs are AWS Activate, Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub, NVIDIA Inception and DigitalOcean Startups for cloud credits and tools, Techstars Accelerator Programs, the 500 Global Accelerator Program in Eurasia and Wayra for investment and acceleration, and the STATION F Founders Program for a campus in Paris. All eight accept applications any day of the year.
AWS Activate
Amazon Web Services
Amazon Web Services gives pre-seed and seed startups worldwide up to $100,000 in cloud credits, plus technical templates, member perks and access to its startup events. It is the first application most founders file, because it costs nothing and the credits cover the bill you are already paying.
Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub
Microsoft
Microsoft offers up to $150,000 in Azure credits, AI tools, developer resources, expert guidance and a route into its customer network. No prior funding is required, which makes it a natural second application right after AWS.
NVIDIA Inception
NVIDIA
NVIDIA Inception is a free membership program for AI startups at any funding stage: technical training, developer tools, preferred pricing on NVIDIA hardware and software, partner offers, cloud credits, co-marketing and exposure to investors. If you train or serve models, it belongs on your list.
DigitalOcean Startups
DigitalOcean
DigitalOcean Startups gives early-stage and AI-native startups cloud credits, support and partner discounts so they can scale infrastructure without touching their runway. It is equity-free and the form takes minutes.
Techstars Accelerator Programs
Techstars
Techstars runs accelerators across cities and themes, and you can start an application at any time of year. Accepted companies receive funding, an investor network, hands-on mentorship, sessions on fundraising and product-market fit, and a perks package.
500 Global Accelerator Program in Eurasia
500 Global, Georgia's Innovation & Technology Agency (GITA), Bank of Georgia
500 Global runs this program with GITA and Bank of Georgia for startups from the Balkans, the Baltics, the Caucasus, Central Asia and Central and Eastern Europe. It connects founders with international networks and supports their fundraising.
Wayra, the Madrid-based accelerator of Telefónica, invests 150,000 euros for 7 to 10 percent equity in startups working on mobile, software, banking and accounting products. It is the one entry on this list with a cash amount on the table, and the one that asks for equity in return.
Founders Program - STATION F
STATION F
STATION F's selective in-house program gives early-stage tech startups hybrid access to the Paris campus, mentorship from experienced operators and a fast track to top VCs. A program fee applies, so weigh it against the network you get.
Which one should you apply to first?
Start with the credit programs. AWS Activate, Microsoft for Startups, NVIDIA Inception and DigitalOcean Startups are free, equity-free and quick, so file all four in one sitting. Then look at the accelerators, which take weeks, ask for a real pitch and, in Wayra's case, equity. STATION F comes last, once Paris makes sense for you.
Two habits save time here. Keep one folder with your deck, a short description, your incorporation details and a product demo link, because every form asks for the same things. And note what each program expects in return: credits cost nothing, accelerators take equity or a share of your attention for three months, and a campus charges a fee.
A one-afternoon plan
Open the getfund page of each program above and read the eligibility line: country, stage and sector. Cross out the ones that do not match. Apply to the remaining credit programs today, then put the accelerator applications on next week's calendar, with the deck polished first. That is one afternoon of work for a year of cloud bills and a seat in front of investors.
These eight are open for everyone. The ones that fit your startup are inside: see your fit in two minutes. For more programs that invest, browse accelerators worldwide.
Frequently asked questions
- Are always-open programs free to apply to?
- Yes for the four credit programs, Techstars and 500 Global: the application itself costs nothing. Wayra invests in exchange for equity, and the STATION F Founders Program charges a program fee once you are accepted. Read the official page before you commit.
- Can I apply to several of these at the same time?
- Yes. The credit programs do not exclude each other, and many startups hold AWS, Azure and NVIDIA benefits at once. Accelerators are different: most expect you to join only one cohort at a time, so apply broadly but decide before you sign.
- Why does always open not mean always available?
- Programs change their terms, pause a track or close a region without notice. getfund rechecks each official link and marks the program open only while the page still accepts applications, so the status you see on the program page is the one that counts today.
- Does getfund apply for me?
- getfund tells you in two minutes which programs fit your startup, keeps your answers in one place and prepares the application draft from them. You review and submit, so the final words are always yours.
Logos and program names belong to their owners; getfund is an independent guide.