Nirvana Labs Startup Credits: $1,000 to $50,000
Nirvana Labs Startup Credits give early-stage teams $1,000 in cloud credit with no investor needed, up to $25,000 for backed startups, and up to $50,000 for teams whose core product is agents or retrieval. Credits cover Nirvana compute, storage, managed Kubernetes and agent sandboxes, and no equity is taken.
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Quick answer
Nirvana Labs gives pre-Series B startups $1,000 in cloud credit with no investor needed, up to $25,000 if an investor, accelerator or incubator backs you, and up to $50,000 if agents or retrieval are your core product. Awards and release schedules are decided case by case. You need a company-domain email and a valid payment method, and no equity is taken. Apply at nirvanalabs.io/startup-credits.
Available programs
$1,000
Founders tier
For startups with no investor. Awards are decided case by case; most Founders recipients receive $200 a month for five months ($1,000 total), though that is the typical schedule, not a guaranteed award. Credits are valid for 12 months and cover invoices until used.
- $1,000 in Nirvana cloud credit, no investor required
- Typically released as $200 a month for five months
- Valid for 12 months
- Covers invoices until used
Up to $25,000
Portfolio tier
For startups backed by an investor, accelerator or incubator. Credit amounts and release schedules are assessed case by case, and credits are valid for 24 months.
- Up to $25,000 in Nirvana cloud credit
- Valid for 24 months
- Amount and release schedule set case by case
Up to $50,000
Agents tier
For backed startups whose core product is agents or retrieval. Credit amounts and release schedules are assessed case by case, and credits are valid for 24 months.
- Up to $50,000 in Nirvana cloud credit
- Built for agent and retrieval workloads
- Valid for 24 months
- Amount and release schedule set case by case
Best for
Do you qualify for Nirvana Labs?
You likely qualify if
- You are privately held, pre-Series B and under 10 years old
- If you have raised, your latest round closed within the last 12 months
- You have a company-domain email and a valid payment method
- For Portfolio or Agents: an investor, accelerator or incubator backs you
You won't qualify if
- You are Series B or later
- Your latest funding round closed more than 12 months ago
- Prior Nirvana credits put you outside the prior-credit rules
Common rejection reasons
- Applying with a personal email instead of a company-domain email
- No proof of backing for the Portfolio or Agents tier
How to apply for Nirvana Labs
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1
Pick your tier
Founders ($1,000) needs no investor. Portfolio (up to $25,000) needs backing from an investor, accelerator or incubator. Agents (up to $50,000) is for backed teams whose core product is agents or retrieval.
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2
Prepare your details
Apply with a company-domain email and have a valid payment method ready. For Portfolio and Agents, have your investor, accelerator or incubator details on hand.
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3
Apply at nirvanalabs.io/startup-credits
Choose your tier and describe what you are building and the workloads you plan to run on Nirvana.
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4
Get your award
Awards, release schedules and any architecture review are decided case by case. Most Founders recipients get $200 a month for five months.
Stacks well with
Founders who claim Nirvana Labs commonly pair it with these to build a bigger credit stack.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Nirvana Labs give startups?
Nirvana Labs provides eligible startups with up to $50,000 in value across its programs.
Does Nirvana Labs take equity from startups?
No. Nirvana Labs's partner offer for startups are non-dilutive — you do not give up any equity to receive them.
Who qualifies for Nirvana Labs?
Eligible startups generally must meet criteria such as: Privately held, pre-Series B and under 10 years old; If funded, your latest round closed within the last 12 months; A company-domain email and a valid payment method.
Is Nirvana Labs free for startups?
Applying is free. Nirvana Labs provides up to $50,000 in value with no equity required.
How do I apply for Nirvana Labs?
1) Pick your tier, 2) Prepare your details, 3) Apply at nirvanalabs.io/startup-credits, 4) Get your award. Full steps are on this page.
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