Routes open in Chile
| 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 |
| Banco de Chile Startup benefit | Up to $5,000 | Banco de Chile startup clients under 10 years old, no Series B. Open to 31 December 2026. Confirmed. | 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 Chile
- 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 Chile: 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: Santiago Local Zone
- Data protection law
- Law 19.628 → Law 21.719 (1 Dec 2026)
- Must data stay in-country?
- Usually no general rule, but check your sector
- 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 sa-east-1, or about $714 with 19% 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
Startups from Chile named in AWS program cohorts:
AWS Generative AI Accelerator · up to $1M
42x, Diio
Amounts are the program's maximum, not what each company received.
Local accelerators
Accelerators, incubators and startup programs in Chile worth asking about AWS credits.
Start-Up Chile
Santiago · Government accelerator
Ask the provider
Magical Startups
Santiago · Accelerator
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 Chile. 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 Chile.
- Program
Start-Up Chile (CORFO)
Build and Ignite tracks, with BIG 12 offering co-funding up to CLP 75M [1] [2].
- Program
CORFO Semilla programs (Inicia / Expande) [3].
- Tax incentive
R&D tax credit Law 20.241
35% of CORFO-certified R&D spend comes off corporate tax (capped at 15,000 UTM a year). The other 65% is deductible as an expense [4].
Setting up a local company
- Common startup entity
- SpA (sociedad por acciones)
- Minimum share capital
- Paid-in minimum capital: 0% of income per capita (World Bank Doing Business 2020; data as of May 2019)
- Time and cost to register
- 4 days, 6 procedures, cost 2.7% of income per capita (Doing Business 2020; data as of May 2019, series discontinued)
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 Chile
- Billing entity
- Amazon Web Services, Inc.
- Currency
- CLP (card only), USD
- Tax AWS adds
- 19% IVA unless VAT-registered (RUT). 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 Chile
- 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
2
unicorns
NotCo ($1.5B), Betterfly ($1B)
Startup sectors
Main economic sectors
Unicorn data: CB Insights, as of 2 October 2026. Sectors: CIA World Factbook.
Startup visa
Start-Up Chile programme visa support
Key requirements: Accelerator-linked: selected founders get help processing visas; not a standalone visa
AWS events and community in Chile
- AWS Cloud and AI Day Santiago: 24 Sep 2026 [13]. No Santiago Summit found for 2026.
Sources for Chile (13)
- 1. https://www.t13.cl/amp/noticia/emprendedores/nueva-generacion-start-up-chile-comienza-proceso-aceleracion-nido-lucia-22-9-2026
- 2. https://startupchile.org/
- 3. https://www.corfo.gob.cl/
- 4. https://www.corfo.gob.cl/sites/cpp/incentivo_tributario/
- 5. https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/aws/coming-soon-aws-south-america-chile-region/
- 6. https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/global-infrastructure/regions_az/
- 7. https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/global-infrastructure/localzones/locations/
- 8. https://aws.amazon.com/legal/aws-contracting-party/
- 9. https://repost.aws/knowledge-center/supported-aws-currencies
- 10. https://aws.amazon.com/tax-help/Chile/
- 11. https://aws.amazon.com/awscredits/
- 12. https://www.pauta.cl/actualidad/2026/10/02/ley-de-datos-personales-senadores-proponen-prorroga-de-seis-meses-frente-al-ano-que-pide-elgobierno.html
- 13. https://aws.amazon.com/events/cloud-days/
Research current as of 2 October 2026. Not legal or tax advice.
Questions
Is AWS Activate available in Chile?
Yes. AWS takes sign-ups from Chile, and the AWS Activate terms don't exclude it.
How much in AWS credits can a startup in Chile 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 Chile?
No. You can apply with a Chile 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 Chile?
No. Credits don't cover taxes, so any VAT (19%) is charged to your card.
What's the closest AWS region to Chile?
sa-east-1 in São Paulo. Typical latency is about 40–150 ms (some Caribbean and Central American teams get lower latency from us-east-1).
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 Chile
Answer four questions and we'll match you with a partner who knows Chile. 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.