Program
AWS Impact Accelerator
One of the few AWS programs with cash: $125,000 plus up to $100,000 in credits, in an 8-week program. Cohorts open at different times for different founder groups.
AWS Impact Accelerator is for pre-seed startups led by Black, Latino, LGBTQIA+ and women founders. Up to $225,000 cash + credits.
- Cash
- $125,000
- Credits
- Up to $100,000
- Total
- Up to $225,000
- Stage
- Pre-seed
- Format
- 8-week program
- Cost to apply
- Free
Status: may not be running right now
inactive (no cohort since 2023); effectively succeeded by AWS Impact Bootcamps (with Techstars, 2025-2026). AWS calls the Bootcamps an extension of the same USD 30M commitment but hasn't formally announced a discontinuation.
01 · Overview
A good fit if you are
- Underrepresented founders at pre-seed
- Teams preparing a seed round or a seed accelerator application
Not for
- Seed and later startups
- Founders outside the groups a given cohort serves
Timeline and terms
- Application window
- Historically fixed per cohort (for example Women Founders August 8-26, 2022; Latino Founders March 6-17, 2023). No open window. The successor Bootcamps' last listed deadlines were Feb 27, 2026 (Tokyo) and March 13, 2026 (Berlin), both passed.
- Program length
- 8 weeks (Impact Accelerator). Successor Bootcamps: 2 days.
- Cash
- Historical: USD 125,000 cash grant, zero equity, per startup (2022-2023 cohorts). The successor Bootcamps offer no guaranteed cash; up to USD 50,000 in grants can be won at the invite-only Founder Retreat.
- Where
- Historical Impact Accelerator: U.S.-based (Latino cohort: U.S.-incorporated, founders in the U.S. or Latin America). Successor Bootcamps: Atlanta, New York, Mexico City, London (2025) and Tokyo, Berlin (2026).
Historical (2022-2023 cohorts): up to USD 100,000 in AWS credits plus a USD 125,000 cash grant, up to USD 225,000 combined. Successor (AWS Impact Bootcamps): up to USD 5,000 in AWS Activate credits; top participants invited to an AWS Founder Retreat with a chance to win up to USD 50,000 in unrestricted grants plus USD 15,000 more in credits.
What changed recently
2026-03/04
Last listed Bootcamps: Tokyo (March 26-27, 2026) and Berlin (April 16-17, 2026). No later dates are on the page as of 2026-10-04. Source
2025-12-12
AWS blog: Bootcamps described as an extension of the USD 30M Impact Accelerator commitment; credits stated as up to USD 5,000 in Activate credits. Source
2025-07-30
AWS and Techstars launched AWS Impact Bootcamps (2-day programs in 6 cities, USD 5,000 in AWS credits) as an extension of the USD 30M commitment. AWS described the Impact Accelerator as 'a great first step'. Source
2023-06-26
AWS retrospective: USD 1.25M in Activate credits given so far; 'Future cohort dates have not yet been announced.' No later Impact Accelerator cohort was found. Source
2023-03-06
Latino Founders cohort opened (March 6-17, 2023), the first open to founders in Latin America if incorporated in the U.S. Source
02 · Eligibility
Hard eligibility rules
You must
- Historical (Women Founders 2022 criteria): CEO co-founder(s) who own more than 51% and identify as part of the cohort's community (Black, women, Latino or LGBTQIA+ founders depending on cohort)
- Historical: CTO or technical lead in place
- Historical: founders and company based in the U.S. (the Latino cohort also took founders in Latin America if the startup was incorporated in the U.S.)
- Historical: raised no more than USD 500,000 in institutional funds and no more than 5 years old (pre-seed)
- Historical: fully developed MVP or launched product
- Successor Bootcamps: self-funded, angel-backed, or raised up to Series A; at least one founding/executive team member from a historically underrepresented community, or working to support such groups
Excluded
- Historical: startups outside the U.S. ('international startups will not be considered at this time' for Women Founders 2022)
- Historical: startups past the pre-seed limits (more than USD 500k institutional funding or older than 5 years)
Have this ready before you apply
- Historical: online application plus a video featuring all founders (Women Founders 2022)
- Historical: proof of ownership structure (CEO co-founder(s) own more than 51% and identify with the cohort's community)
- Historical: funding history (no more than USD 500k institutional) and company age (no more than 5 years)
- Historical: interview for shortlisted applicants
03 · How to apply
How to apply
- 1
Check which cohort is open (for example, Black founders or women founders).
- 2
Confirm your startup is pre-seed and matches the cohort's founder criteria.
- 3
Apply during the window on the AWS Startups site.
What catches founders out
- The program launched as a three-year commitment in 2022. Check that a cohort is open before you plan around it.
- The cash and credits come with program commitments. Read the terms for your cohort.
04 · Credits & stacking
What the credits cover
Covered
- AWS Activate credits (2023 retrospective names Amazon SageMaker, CloudWatch and Lightsail as services used)
Not covered
- Standard AWS Promotional Credit Terms and Activate exclusions apply (see Activate entries)
Stacking with other credits
Can combine with
- AWS Activate (Impact Accelerator credits were provided through AWS Activate)
Past cohorts Show
05 · Alternatives
If this isn't the right program
- AWS Activate Founders
Open all year with no cohort.
- AWS Activate Portfolio
Through any provider you join.
Sources
Checked October 2026. AWS can change amounts and rules at any time.
Facts on this page checked against official sources on 2026-10-04.
Questions
Does the AWS Impact Accelerator give cash?
Yes. At launch, each startup received $125,000 in cash and up to $100,000 in AWS Activate credits.
Who can apply?
Pre-seed startups led by Black, Latino, LGBTQIA+ or women founders, depending on the cohort.
Prices and credit amounts are estimates and may change. Check AWS for current terms.