AWS Activate vs Scaleway Startup Program (2026): Which Is Better for Startups?

Both are cloud credits for startups. Here is how AWS Activate and Scaleway Startup Program compare on what a startup gets, who qualifies and how to apply, and which one we would pick.

AWS Activate

Up to $5,000 in AWS credits if you are self-funded, or up to $200,000 with an Activate Provider Org ID.

9.0 /10

Pricing: Up to $200k in credits & perks

Pros

Open to self-funded founders as well as funded startups
Up to $200,000 with an Activate Provider Org ID
Covers the broadest cloud catalogue

Cons

The big tier needs a code from a provider investor or accelerator
Founders tier starts at $1,000; more is at AWS discretion

Visit AWS Activate ↗

Scaleway Startup Program

European cloud credits from a €1,000 Founders voucher up to about €36,000 for growth-stage startups.

6.5 /10

Pricing: Up to $41.5k in credits & perks

Pros

No partner code needed
EU-hosted infrastructure and GPUs
Founders voucher for very early teams

Cons

Headline and FAQ amounts do not match
Monthly credit allowance, not a single pool

Visit Scaleway Startup Program ↗

AWS Activate vs Scaleway Startup Program at a glance

	AWS Activate	Scaleway Startup Program
Editor score	9.0 / 10	6.5 / 10
Pricing model	Free	Free
What you get	Up to $200k in credits & perks	Up to $41.5k in credits & perks
Who qualifies	Pre-Series B, founded within the last 10 years, AWS account on a paid tier plan, new to Activate Credits (or asking for more than before). Portfolio tier needs an Activate Provider Org ID.	Less than 5 years old, fewer than 50 employees, not yet a Scaleway client. Stage decides the tier (pre-seed to seed for Early Stage, seed to Series A for Growth).
Partner code needed	Yes	No
Steps it helps with	claim startup credits, host and deploy, build your mvp, choose your ai coding stack	claim startup credits, host and deploy, build your mvp
Who it is for	Any stage, Pre-seed, Seed stage, Series A+, Bootstrapped, VC-backed only, AI startups, SaaS	Pre-seed, Seed stage, Series A+, Bootstrapped, AI startups, SaaS
Reader upvotes	0	0
Best for	aws, cloud credits, activate	scaleway, europe, cloud credits

Our pick

AWS Activate edges it with a score of 9.0 versus 6.5. AWS Activate is the better fit if you value: open to self-funded founders as well as funded startups, up to $200,000 with an activate provider org id. Choose Scaleway Startup Program instead if you need: no partner code needed, eu-hosted infrastructure and gpus. Many startups can claim both: see credits by value.