SaaS Startup Credits Application Helper

A research-and-drafting skill for founders applying to free B2B SaaS startup credit programs (Cloudflare for Startups, AWS Activate, Google for Startups Cloud, Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub, DigitalOcean Hatch, plus perks from Stripe, HubSpot, Notion, Linear, Algolia, MongoDB Atlas, and similar programs) to fund a startup's first 1-2 years of infrastructure.

What it does

• Identifies which programs a founder is eligible for, based on company stage, geography, incorporation status, and existing credits.
• Researches each program's current requirements (form fields, supporting docs, deadlines, approval criteria).
• Drafts the application content — company description, traction summary, use-of-funds narrative, founder bios — sized to each program's tone and length limits.
• Pre-fills the application form with the founder's existing context (one-pager, deck, prior applications) so they review and submit instead of writing from scratch.

When to use it

• User mentions any specific program by name ("apply for Cloudflare for Startups", "AWS Activate credits", "Google for Startups Cloud").
• User says they want "free cloud credits", "startup perks", "infra funding", "non-dilutive funding".
• User has a one-pager / deck / existing draft and wants help tailoring it to multiple programs.

Programs covered (verified 2026-06)

Cloud and infrastructure:

• Cloudflare for Startups
• AWS Activate
• Google for Startups Cloud
• Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub
• DigitalOcean Hatch
• MongoDB Atlas for Startups

Productivity and ops:

• Stripe (Atlas / partner programs)
• HubSpot for Startups
• Notion for Startups
• Linear (startup discount)
• Algolia (startup program)

Coverage is maintained in references/programs.md — checked periodically as programs change terms.

What it does NOT do

• Does not submit applications on the user's behalf — always returns a draft for the user to review and submit.
• Does not promise approval — final decision is the program's.
• Does not invent traction metrics, revenue numbers, or user counts the user has not provided.

How a typical run looks

1. Read the founder's context — company stage, product, traction, geography, team.
2. Match against the program catalog, list eligible programs with current requirements.
3. For each priority program: research the latest form fields, draft the application, flag anything the founder needs to confirm or fill in themselves.
4. Return drafts in a single document the user can copy-paste into each program's portal.

Important caveats

• For reference only — program terms, credit amounts, and eligibility criteria change frequently. The skill reads each program's current public page at request time and flags anything that looks stale, but the user must verify before submitting.
• No promise of approval — credit programs are run by their respective companies and have their own review processes. The skill helps the user prepare a stronger application; final outcomes depend on each program's review process.
• No fabricated metrics — all traction numbers, revenue figures, and user counts in drafts come from the user. The skill will ask if anything is missing rather than invent a number.

Underlying skill

This Agent packages the saas-credit-program-application skill (Hermes / OpenClaw). Full source, program catalog, and worked examples are in the skill repository.