CreditStack

Akamai

Akamai Cloud Rise Startup Program

$500 – $120K in credits
Apply via Akamai → See FAQ ↓

Some apply links may be affiliate. See our policy.

Up to $120K in Akamai cloud credits over three years, plus hands-on engineering support.

Akamai's Cloud Rise gives startups $500–$120K in year-one credits for compute, GPU, and storage, with a solutions engineer assigned to your account. Years two and three lock in discounted pricing instead of fresh credits—useful if you're actually growing, less useful if you're not. You get community access and account management throughout. The catch: credit amounts depend on traction and use case, so don't assume you'll hit the $120K ceiling. Best for startups already running meaningful workloads on Akamai's infrastructure or seriously considering it.

Program details

Tier 1

Rise Membership

Qualify for anywhere from $500 to $120,000 of credits in your first year, then enjoy discounts in years two and three.

$120K

click to collapse
Application difficulty: Medium Benefits: Exceptional Duration: 3 years total

Benefits

  • Infrastructure credits up to $120,000 during the first year
  • 24/7 priority customer support
  • One-on-one cloud consulting and migration assistance
  • Dedicated account manager and solution engineers
  • Access to a community of startups, alumni, and experts

Eligibility

  • Established less than 7 years
  • Has a company website and corporate email
  • At least one: paid employees (beyond founders), active non-friends/family users, or generating revenue
  • Plans to use Akamai as a primary infrastructure provider
  • Current business has not previously been a part of Rise

How to apply

  1. 1

    Create Akamai (Linode) Account

    Use your corporate email and valid credit card. Be sure to designate the account as commercial by including a corporate entity in the Company field.

    Register →
  2. 2

    Review Qualifications & Apply

    Confirm your business meets the Rise Membership Qualifications, then submit the application.

    Apply →
  3. 3

    Interview with Rise Team

    If your application is accepted for review, a program representative will schedule an interview.

  4. 4

    Receive Credits & Next Steps

    Upon acceptance, credits are added to your account, and your program coordinator will help you get started.

Apply for Rise Membership →

Pros

  • ✓ Up to $120K in year-one credits; GPU instances included, not just VMs
  • ✓ Dedicated solutions engineer + account manager (not just self-serve docs)
  • ✓ Three-year runway: credits year one, then discounted rates years two–three

Cons

  • ✗ Credit tier ($500–$120K) determined by Akamai's assessment, not guaranteed maximum
  • ✗ Years two and three are discounts, not fresh credits—you need to keep spending
  • ✗ Akamai's pricing is higher than AWS/GCP/Azure to begin with; discounts help, but you're still on their platform

Frequently asked questions

What is Rise?
Rise is an early-stage program offering $500–$120,000 in credits during the first year to help startups build and scale on affordable cloud infrastructure.
Who is eligible for Rise? How do you determine eligibility?
Eligible companies are less than seven years old, have a corporate email and functional website, and demonstrate a plan for growth using Akamai as a primary provider. Company size, revenue, and usage plans are also taken into consideration.
I am an existing customer. Do I qualify for Rise?
Existing customers may be eligible if they plan to expand their workloads on Akamai. The Rise team will review your existing usage and future goals.
What happens if I go over the monthly credit?
You will be charged for any usage that exceeds the monthly credit limit.
Do I need to have a Linode account to sign up for Rise?
Yes. You must create or have a corporate Linode account with a valid credit card and matching corporate email domain before applying.
Will there be any help with migrating my workload from other cloud providers?
Absolutely. Akamai's technical experts provide guidance and planning to ensure your migration process is smooth and efficient.
What types of companies are a good fit for Rise?
Any startup can apply, with a focus on SaaS, media, and gaming. Managed hosting providers, MSPs, system integrators, and other resellers are not eligible and should explore Akamai's partner programs instead.
What happens to my credits after the first year?
Credits do not roll over. Rise is a three-year program, and after the first year, discounted cloud services are offered for the remaining duration.
Are there any limitations on how I use the Rise credits?
Yes. Credits cannot be applied to bandwidth overages, and standard account usage policies apply.
Are there additional benefits beyond cloud credits?
Yes. Participants receive priority support, a dedicated account manager, and access to a global community of startups and alumni.

Similar programs

Tags

#cloud #hosting #gpu #enterprise #edge-computing
Apply via Akamai →