Deadline: July 10, 2025
Applications for the AWS Startups Generative AI Accelerator 2025 are now open. This is a global 8-week hybrid program supporting generative and agentic AI startups to prove what’s possible. Success takes a lot more than just having a great business idea and the hustle to make it real. It also requires the right technology tools, expert advice, and a supportive community along the way. That’s where AWS comes in.
As part of the global cohort, you will participate in the kickoff and closing weeks together in-person. During the virtual weeks, you will participate in a virtual version of the accelerator, with learning topics covering building generative AI applications, evaluating models, data strategy and preparation, deployment, pricing, and more. Founders are welcome to continue to engage virtually on the Slack community during the program, and AWS will host virtual community events to foster relationships throughout the program.
The program is hybrid with in-person participation during the kickoff and closing weeks of the program, and a virtual 6-week program in between. Companies accepted into the program are requested to attend the in-person weeks and participate virtually in all virtual week programming.
Benefits
- Access up to $1 million in AWS Promotional Credits to build, train, test, and launch your startup using the full breadth of AWS services and technologies.
- Learn from a curated and seasoned network of experts from AWS and industry leaders from top AI companies.
- Receive dedicated and personalized guidance from go-to-market, and technical mentors matched to your industry vertical and technical needs.
- Tap into AWS go-to-market support, including AWS Marketplace and exposure opportunities at AWS re:Invent.
- Join a global community of innovators for cross-border collaboration. Plus attend exclusive networking events with AWS executives, AWS Partners, and top tier investors.
- Join bespoke events and activities designed to increase brand visibility, connect you with key supporters, and amplify your business through press and media.
Eligibility
- This is a global program, and they accept applications from companies from most countries around the world.
- They define a startup as a privately held company that is building a technology-based solution, is seeking or has raised venture capital funding, and is less than 5 years old. The ideal startup for this program would have a minimal viable product (MVP) already developed, have traction with customers, and be working to enhance their product value proposition in order to scale.
- Although the program is open to all startups, those already building on AWS will receive the most benefit from the accelerator’s dedicated AWS Solutions Architect team, which will support product development.
- Startups should generally be at or beyond the seed stage of funding with plans to raise another round of capital in the next 12 months.
Evaluation Criteria
- Applications are evaluated based on a variety of factors, including founding team experience, clear industry use cases and target market, product maturity, evidence of traction, team composition, and breadth of generative and agentic AIskills (e.g., ML engineers, data scientists).
- They are particularly interested in applicants who are exploring fine-tuning open-source models, pre-training foundation models (FM), or providing critical services in the emerging generative AI tech stack that surround the FM with data preparation, model monitoring, infrastructure provisioning, and more.
Application
Interested startups should submit their application during the application window open June 10 – July 10. Applicants must complete all required fields for the application to be valid. Finalists will be invited to participate in a virtual interview. All applicants will be notified of their status by September 2, 2025.
For more information, visit AWS Startups Generative AI Accelerator.
