Routes open in Saudi Arabia
| 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 |
| KSA Founders Club | Up to $5,000 | Early-stage startups in Saudi Arabia that also qualify for Activate. Open, rolling. 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 Saudi Arabia
- 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 Saudi Arabia: 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
- Data protection law
- PDPL (SDAIA)
- Must data stay in-country?
- Transfers abroad are restricted
- Regulator
- SDAIA
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 me-central-1, or about $690 with 15% 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
Accelerators, incubators and startup programs in Saudi Arabia worth asking about AWS credits.
Flat6Labs Riyadh
Riyadh · Accelerator
Ask the provider
Monsha'at
Riyadh · Government agency
Ask the provider
MISK Accelerator
Riyadh · 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 Saudi Arabia. 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 Saudi Arabia.
Setting up a local company
- Common startup entity
- LLC (MISA licence for foreign ownership)
- 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
- 10 days, 3 procedures, cost 5.4% 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 Saudi Arabia
- Billing entity
- AWS EMEA SARL (KSA branch)
- Currency
- USD (SAR not supported)
- Tax AWS adds
- 15% VAT, charged to everyone. 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 Saudi Arabia
- 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
4
unicorns
Tabby ($6.5B), Barq ($1.9B), Ninja ($1.5B), Tamara ($1B)
Startup sectors
Main economic sectors
Unicorn data: CB Insights, as of 2 October 2026. Sectors: CIA World Factbook.
Startup visa
Premium Residency – Entrepreneur
Key requirements: MISA entrepreneur licence; SAR 400,000 funding from an approved investor; at least 20% ownership; accredited incubator support letter; up to 5 years
AWS events and community in Saudi Arabia
- AWS Cloud and AI Day Riyadh: 21 Oct 2026, The Arena [13].
Sources for Saudi Arabia (13)
- 1. https://www.monshaat.gov.sa/en
- 2. https://svc.com.sa/
- 3. https://rdia.gov.sa/
- 4. https://postmortem.io/incidents/aws--2026-03-01--me-central-1-me-south-1-region-disruption/
- 5. https://w.media/aws-cant-recover-resources-and-data-stored-in-uae-region-hit-during-us-iran-conflict/
- 6. https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/amazon-cloud-unit-flags-issues-bahrain-uae-data-centers-amid-iran-strikes-2026-03-02/
- 7. https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366649447/AWS-sets-2026-opening-date-for-Saudi-cloud-region
- 8. https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/global-infrastructure/regions_az/
- 9. https://aws.amazon.com/tax-help/saudiaarabia/
- 10. https://aws.amazon.com/tax-help/emea-vat-tables/
- 11. https://aws.amazon.com/awscredits/
- 12. https://sdaia.gov.sa/en/SDAIA/about/ArchivesRegulationsAndPolicies/RegulationonPersonalDataTransferoutsideKingdomEN.pdf
- 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 Saudi Arabia?
Yes. AWS takes sign-ups from Saudi Arabia, and the AWS Activate terms don't exclude it.
How much in AWS credits can a startup in Saudi Arabia 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 Saudi Arabia?
No. You can apply with a Saudi Arabia 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 Saudi Arabia?
No. Credits don't cover taxes, so any VAT (15%) is charged to your card.
What's the closest AWS region to Saudi Arabia?
me-central-1 in UAE. Typical latency is about 20–80 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 Saudi Arabia
Answer four questions and we'll match you with a partner who knows Saudi Arabia. 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.