Approved startups can apply for up to $2,000 in WisGate API credits.
This program is for teams building real AI workflows: agent tools, OpenAI-compatible API integrations, automation pipelines, coding workflows, internal tools, and customer-facing AI product features. If your team is already testing models, routing requests, comparing providers, or trying to keep one clean API layer across LLM, image, video, coding, and automation use cases, this program is built for you.
Why we opened this program
Most AI products start with one model and one use case.
Then the workflow grows.
A support tool needs a cheaper model for classification, a stronger model for final answers, and a fallback when one provider is slow. A coding workflow needs a reasoning model for planning, a faster model for edits, and a way to track cost across repeated agent runs. A media product may need text, image, and video generation in the same pipeline.
The technical problem is not only model access. It is the amount of glue code that accumulates around every provider, key, endpoint, retry rule, cost check, and logging layer.
WisGate is designed to reduce that overhead. Teams can work through one OpenAI-compatible API layer and test the models that fit each workflow without rebuilding the integration every time the stack changes. If you already use OpenAI-style request patterns, the OpenAI API reference is a useful baseline for understanding the request shape many teams build around.
The Startup Credits Program gives approved teams room to test that kind of workflow with real usage, not just a toy prompt.
Who should apply
This program is a strong fit for startup teams and builders working on:
- AI agents or coding-agent workflows
- OpenAI-compatible API integrations
- multi-model product features
- internal automation pipelines
- image, video, LLM, or coding model workflows
- customer-facing AI tools with expected API usage
It is less useful if you only want a one-time free account, do not have a concrete project yet, or cannot describe how API credits would support a real workflow.
What approved startups can receive
Approved startups can apply for up to $2,000 in WisGate API credits.
Credits are application-based and reviewed. The final amount depends on project fit, expected usage, application quality, and program rules. A stronger application usually includes a clear product or company description, a real AI workflow, expected model categories, expected usage, and proof that the team is building something beyond a one-off test.
Program credits are intended for eligible WisGate API usage. They are not cash, are not transferable, and may be limited by account, company domain, model category, region, usage pattern, and anti-abuse review. For billing context, review WisGate Pricing before planning a production workflow.
What to prepare before applying
Before submitting the application, prepare:
- your company, product, or team name
- a product website, GitHub repo, demo, LinkedIn page, or other proof
- the AI workflow you want to build or test
- the model categories you expect to use
- expected API usage
- the email address you will use for your WisGate account
Use the same email for your application and your WisGate account. That makes review and credit delivery much easier.
If your application uses a GitHub repository as proof, make sure the repo explains what the project does, how the AI workflow is used, and where the API integration sits. GitHub's own repository documentation is useful if your team needs to clean up project context before sharing a repo.
What a strong application looks like
A strong application does not need to be polished like a fundraising deck.
It needs to be specific.
Tell us what the workflow does, who uses it, where the AI call happens, and what would make the test successful. If your team is building an agent workflow, explain the agent loop. If you are testing a coding workflow, describe the task type and how often the model runs. If you are building a customer-facing feature, explain where the user sees the AI output and what quality bar matters.
Helpful proof can be simple: a product page, GitHub repo, demo video, live app, customer workflow screenshot, company page, or technical note. The goal is not paperwork. The goal is to understand whether credits will support real API usage.
Expected usage also helps. You do not need exact forecasts, but rough volume, model categories, and workflow frequency make the review more practical. A team running daily automation has a different usage pattern from a team testing one feature launch.
How to think about the test
The best use of startup credits is not random exploration.
Pick one workflow that matters. Move it behind a clean API layer. Test latency, quality, cost, fallback behavior, and the amount of code you had to change. Then decide whether one integration surface helps your team ship faster and spend less time on infrastructure.
If your team is building with AI APIs now, the Startup Credits Program can help you run that test with more room. Start with the WisGate Quickstart, then apply here:
https://wisgate.ai/startup-credits
Applications are open from May 26 to Jun 26, 2026 UTC+0.