Routes open in Bulgaria
| Route | Max credits | Who qualifies | How to apply |
|---|---|---|---|
| AWS Activate Founders | $1,000 | Self-funded, no institutional funding, live website | Apply online in the Activate console |
| Activate via a Provider | Up to $100,000 | Backed by an accelerator, VC or incubator in the Activate network | Get an organization ID from your provider |
| AWS Startup Loft Accelerator (EMEA, virtual) | Up to $25,000 + $5,000 Business Support | Early-stage startups, no equity. Launched 2021; likely closed. | Through AWS's local team |
| Local accelerator or VC | Varies | Accepted into a local program | Apply to the program; credits follow |
| Our partner match | Same as AWS | Any stage; we suggest the best route | Use the credit check on this page |
Amounts are the maximums AWS advertises; approval is never guaranteed. Source: AWS Activate terms
Who qualifies from Bulgaria
- Your company is usually under 10 years old and hasn't had Activate credits before.
- You have a live company website, and you sign up with an email on that domain.
- For the $100,000 tier, you're backed by an Activate Provider and haven't raised a Series B yet.
- Company in Bulgaria: apply with it directly. Company abroad (for example a US Delaware company): apply with whichever entity owns the AWS account. No company yet: start with Founders once your website is live.
Region, latency and data rules
Closer option: Istanbul Local Zone
- Data protection law
- GDPR + PDPA
- Must data stay in-country?
- No general rule; transfers outside the EU need safeguards
- Regulator
- Check with the local data protection authority
What your credits buy here
A typical early-stage stack (a few small servers, a managed database, storage and traffic) costs about $600/month in eu-central-1, or about $720 with 20% VAT paid in cash.
$1,000
1.7
months
$5,000
8.3
months
$25,000
42
months
$100,000
99
months
Estimates. Credits usually expire after 12 to 24 months, so large amounts rarely last their full length.
Startups like you
Local accelerators
We haven't listed local accelerators in Bulgaria yet. These global programs accept founders from anywhere.
Startup Wise Guys
Tallinn / remote · Accelerator (CEE focus)
Ask the provider
EIT Digital Accelerator
Remote / EU hubs · EU-backed accelerator
Ask the provider
Y Combinator
Remote / San Francisco · Accelerator
Up to $100,000
Techstars
Remote / many cities · Accelerator
Up to $100,000
Antler
30+ cities · Pre-seed investor
Up to $25,000
500 Global
Remote / many cities · Accelerator and VC
Ask the provider
Entrepreneur First
London, Paris, Bengaluru, San Francisco · Talent investor
Ask the provider
Founder Institute
Remote / 200+ cities · Pre-seed accelerator
Ask the provider
Plug and Play
Many cities · Corporate accelerator
Ask the provider
MassChallenge
Remote / several hubs · Equity-free accelerator
Ask the provider
AWS Generative AI Accelerator
Remote · AWS program for AI startups
Up to $1,000,000
AWS Impact Accelerator
Remote · AWS program for under-represented founders
Ask AWS
Stripe Atlas
Remote · Company setup with startup perks
Ask the provider
Check with each program that it's a current Activate Provider before you rely on it.
Notable local investors and funds
Investors, accelerators and government funds active in Bulgaria. If one backs you, ask whether they can give you an Activate Provider code.
Grants, non-dilutive funding and R&D tax credits
Money you can stack on top of AWS credits in Bulgaria.
- Equity
Fund of Funds (FMFIB) Sustainable Business Start Fund
Up to €150,000 per start-up including up to €37,000 grant, via intermediaries [1].
- Tax incentive
Enhanced R&D deduction
An extra 25% deduction, retroactive to 1 Jan 2026; not available for publicly funded costs [2] .
- Grant
EU-wide
EIC Accelerator grant-only support up to just under €2.5M for startups/SMEs in EU and Horizon Europe associated countries (TRL 6–8) [3].
Setting up a local company
- Common startup entity
- OOD / EOOD (limited liability company)
- Minimum share capital
- Paid-in minimum capital required for a domestic LLC: Yes; for a foreign-owned LLC: Yes (World Bank B-READY 2025)
- Time and cost to register
- Domestic LLC: 21 days, EUR 224; foreign-owned LLC: 30 days, EUR 274 (B-READY 2025, expert median)
- Online registration
- Fully electronic registration: Yes (B-READY 2025)
Capital and registration figures are from the World Bank (Doing Business 2020 / B-READY 2025). Check the registry for current rules.
What's different in Bulgaria
- Billing entity
- AWS EMEA SARL
- Currency
- EUR (Bulgaria uses the euro from 2026)
- Tax AWS adds
- 20% VAT B2C only. Not covered by credits.
- Payments and verification
- Most international Visa and Mastercard cards work. Make sure foreign and online payments are switched on before you sign up.
Credits don't cover taxes. Source: AWS Promotional Credit terms
Paying the AWS bill from Bulgaria
- Use a card that allows international recurring payments, or a multi-currency business card.
- Enter your VAT or tax number in the AWS console so tax is handled correctly.
- Credits don't cover tax, so a small cash charge can appear even while credits last.
Startup scene
0
unicorns
No Bulgaria-based unicorns yet.
Main economic sectors
Unicorn data: CB Insights, as of 2 October 2026. Sectors: CIA World Factbook.
Startup visa
Startup Visa (certificate for high-tech/innovative project)
Key requirements: Ministry of Innovation and Growth certificate for a non-EU founder's innovative project; online via ISUN 2020 since 2 Jan 2026; certificate valid 1 year
AWS events and community in Bulgaria
Sources for Bulgaria (18)
- 1. https://fmfib.bg/en/novini/fond-na-fondovete-startira-dve-proceduri-za-izbor-na-posrednici-po-programa-razvitie-na-coveskite-resursi-2021-2027
- 2. https://kpmg.com/us/en/taxnewsflash/news/2026/04/bulgaria-new-enhanced-rd-deduction-enacted.html
- 3. https://eic.ec.europa.eu/eic-funding-opportunities/eic-accelerator_en
- 4. https://docs.aws.amazon.com/global-infrastructure/latest/regions/aws-regions.html
- 5. https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/global-infrastructure/localzones/locations/
- 6. https://aws.amazon.com/legal/aws-emea-countries/
- 7. https://aws.amazon.com/legal/aws-contracting-party/
- 8. https://repost.aws/knowledge-center/supported-aws-currencies
- 9. https://repost.aws/knowledge-center/accepted-payment-methods
- 10. https://aws.amazon.com/tax-help/emea-vat-tables/
- 11. https://aws.amazon.com/awscredits/
- 12. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2016/679/oj
- 13. https://www.dlapiperdataprotection.com/index.html?t=law&c=BG
- 14. https://www.dataprivacyframework.gov/
- 15. https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/data-act
- 16. https://builder.aws.com/community/user-groups
- 17. https://aws.amazon.com/events/community-day/
- 18. https://aws.amazon.com/events/summits/
Research current as of 2 October 2026. Not legal or tax advice.
Questions
Is AWS Activate available in Bulgaria?
Yes. AWS takes sign-ups from Bulgaria, and the AWS Activate terms don't exclude it.
How much in AWS credits can a startup in Bulgaria get?
Self-funded teams usually start with $1,000 from Activate Founders. Teams backed by an Activate Provider can get up to $200,000.
Do I need a company registered in Bulgaria?
No. You can apply with a Bulgaria company, a company registered abroad (for example a US Delaware company), or as an early team with a live website. Use the entity that owns the AWS account.
Do AWS credits cover VAT in Bulgaria?
No. Credits don't cover taxes, so any VAT (20%) is charged to your card.
What's the closest AWS region to Bulgaria?
eu-central-1 in Frankfurt. Typical latency is about 20–60 ms.
Can I apply without an accelerator or VC?
Yes. Activate Founders is open to self-funded startups. A partner can also point you to other routes.
Will using a partner change how much I get?
No. The credits come from AWS on the same terms. A partner just helps you find the right route and prepare the application.
Find your best route from Bulgaria
Answer four questions and we'll match you with a partner who knows Bulgaria. Free, and the credits are the same as going direct.
Cloud Credits is independent and not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Amazon Web Services. AWS and AWS Activate are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Data last checked 2 October 2026; check AWS for current terms.