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DTCS

Credit programmes

What AWS credits are, and what they are not

Credits reduce an AWS bill. They are not funding, they are not cash, and they are not guaranteed. Here is how the main routes actually work.

Migration credits

Offered to offset the cost of moving existing workloads onto AWS. Eligibility depends on what you are moving, how much of it, and from where. Credits are typically released in stages against evidence that the migration actually happened, which is why post-migration attestation matters as much as the application itself.

  • Purpose: offset the cost of the move itself, not your ongoing bill
  • Assessed on migrated workload volume and current spend, not on ambition
  • Requires proof of completed migration before staged release
  • Applied for before the migration, evidenced after it

AWS Activate

A separate programme aimed at early-stage startups, usually accessed through an approved provider such as an accelerator, incubator or venture fund. Being eligible for migration credits tells you nothing about your Activate position, and vice versa. The tiers and amounts are set by AWS and change over time.

  • Purpose: support early-stage running costs, not migration work
  • Usually requires an approved Activate provider to refer you
  • A separate application, separately assessed, separately decided
  • Previous credits on the same entity affect what you can receive

Partner and programme routes

Some funding routes run through AWS partners rather than directly. Where a partner route is open to you we will say so, name the partner and explain what they require. Where we have no route, we will tell you that too rather than submit an application that has no chance.

  • We name the route and the party involved, every time
  • We do not charge for applications we do not believe in
  • We coordinate with AWS, migration partners and investors as required

What AWS weighs

We cannot tell you the formula because AWS does not publish one. These are the factors that consistently matter.

  • 01Where the company is incorporated and operating
  • 02Company stage and how long it has been trading
  • 03Funding round and whether it has closed
  • 04Amount raised and the runway it represents
  • 05Whether your investor is a recognised Activate provider
  • 06Which provider is referring the application
  • 07Credits already received by the same entity or founders
  • 08AWS's own assessment of the workload and its fit

Four labels, every time

Every number we give you carries one of four labels. If a figure reaches you without one, ask us which it is.

  1. 01

    Estimated spend

    Our projection of what your workloads will cost on AWS. A forecast, never a commitment.

  2. 02

    Potential eligibility

    A maximum you could be considered for. Not an amount you have been awarded.

  3. 03

    Submitted request

    What we have formally asked AWS for on your behalf. Submitted is not the same as approved.

  4. 04

    Confirmed award

    What AWS has approved in writing. This is the only figure you can bank.

Before we start

What every client confirms they understand

  1. 01

    “Up to” is a ceiling

    A published maximum is the largest amount anyone might receive under the programme. It is not a target and it is not an entitlement.

  2. 02

    Spend is not credits

    Your projected AWS spend and any credit you receive are two unrelated numbers. Neither one predicts the other.

  3. 03

    Programmes are separate

    Migration credits and Activate have different criteria, different reviewers and different outcomes. One approval does not imply another.

  4. 04

    Release is staged

    Approved credits often arrive in tranches tied to milestones, not as a single balance on day one.

  5. 05

    Proof is required

    You will need to evidence that the migration happened. We prepare that evidence, but it has to be real.

  6. 06

    AWS decides

    Every decision is AWS's. We prepare the strongest accurate case; we have no influence over the outcome.

  7. 07

    No critical bets on unconfirmed credits

    Do not commit budget, headcount or a launch date against a credit that has not been confirmed in writing.

  8. 08

    Full disclosure is required

    Previous credits, related entities and prior applications must be disclosed. Omissions get applications rejected, sometimes permanently.

In plain terms

DTCS is not AWS. We do not approve credits, we do not set eligibility criteria and we cannot guarantee any amount, including zero. What we can do is tell you honestly whether an application is worth making, prepare it properly, and keep you informed of exactly where it stands.

Find out where you actually stand

Send us your funding position and current infrastructure. We will tell you which programmes are realistic before you spend time on paperwork.

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