Meta Is Offering Up to $36,000 to Early-Stage AI Startups
Meta announced its Llama Startup Program, which aims to attract early-stage startups to its growing ecosystem of generative AI tools. The program is centered around Meta’s open-weight Llama models, and the company is offering technical support and up to $36,000 in cloud credits to selected U.S.-based companies.
A Strategic Bet on the Startup Community
This initiative appears to be Meta’s latest strategy to broaden its reach of Llama AI models; it can reach beyond researchers and large enterprises. While the model itself is open source, it still requires computer infrastructure that can be costly for young startups. So, it seems like with this approach, Meta is stepping in to remove that cost barrier, at least for some companies, at least for the time being.
Startups accepted into the program may be reimbursed with up to $6,000 per month for hosted API access to Llama through supported cloud inference providers. This support will run for six months. However, along with the funding, the tech giant is also offering direct technical assistance from the Llama team, which could help teams refine their use cases or navigate architectural challenges.
Who Can Apply — and Who Can’t
Unfortunately, the Llama Startup Program isn’t open to everyone. Meta is targeting incorporated startups in the U.S. with less than $10 million in funding and at least one developer onboard. While this sets a relatively low entry bar, it excludes later-stage startups and international applicants. Here, the company is specifically looking for startups working on generative AI applications in industries such as fintech, healthcare, telecom, and eCommerce.
More Than Just Credits — but Not Purely Altruistic
While Meta frames the program as a way to “empower innovation,” it’s also a strategic play. Participating startups are expected to provide feedback that can help Meta improve Llama. And by embedding Llama models into the core stack of growing startups, Meta is building long-term developer loyalty.
However, Meta is not the first one to take such an approach. Earlier, we saw similar tactics from AWS, Microsoft, and Google with early-stage cloud programs. However, offering compute reimbursements rather than just free credits gives Meta more flexibility.
Deadline is Approaching
Applications for the first cohort of the Llama Startup Program close on May 30, 2025, at 6:00 PM PT. It’s not yet clear how many startups will be accepted or whether Meta plans to open the program to international applicants in the future.