Meta Llama Startup Program

Meta Llama Startup Program

Supports founder teams building models and AI products with compute, credits, and technical enablement through the startup program.

Eligibility · Global — open worldwide

The Meta Llama Startup Program is Meta Platforms Inc.'s in-kind support initiative for startups building products and applications on top of Meta's Llama family of open-source large language models. The program provides participating companies with credits valued between approximately $1,000 and $36,000, covering access to Meta's developer platforms, technical support, and advertising credit for Facebook and Instagram, rather than cash disbursements. The program targets for-profit AI startups globally at TRL 3–7 — ventures that have moved beyond early research and are building or operating a product powered by Llama models.

Eligibility is global, with no geographic restriction on company incorporation. The primary sector focus is AI infrastructure and generative AI applications. The Meta for Startups program more broadly also offers mentorship access to Meta product and engineering teams and integration support for Meta's developer ecosystem. Universities and research organizations may qualify alongside commercial startups. Non-profit entities are not eligible. There is no fixed annual deadline; the program operates on a rolling or cohort basis determined by Meta.

For grant-seekers, it is important to note that the Llama Startup Program delivers value in the form of credits and in-kind services, not cash grants. Meta separately operates Llama Impact Grants (cash awards for open-source AI development) and Meta AI Research Awards (academic RFPs), which carry distinct eligibility criteria. Startups evaluating this program should weigh the platform and distribution benefits of deep integration with Meta's AI ecosystem against the non-cash nature of the award.