Together AI Startup Accelerator

Together AI specializes in fast, cost-efficient inference for open-weight models and offers GPU clusters for training. Its startup accelerator provides credits and support for startups building on open-source AI models.

What you get

• GPU cluster credits. Credits for training and fine-tuning on Together GPU clusters.
• Inference credits. Discounted or free inference for serving open-weight models.
• Startup support. Technical guidance, onboarding, and access to the Together AI team.
• Model flexibility. Use Llama, Qwen, Mistral, DeepSeek, and other open-weight models.

Eligibility

• Early-stage startups building products on open-weight models.
• Preference for teams with meaningful inference or training needs.
• Application-based; terms vary by startup stage and use case.

How to apply

1. Visit the Together AI Startup Accelerator form.
2. Submit company details, expected model usage, and training/inference plans.
3. Wait for Together AI's review and follow onboarding steps if accepted.

Caveats

• SMF Clearinghouse does not administer this offer.
• Credit amounts and eligible services change; verify directly with Together AI.
• Credits are usually tied to Together AI's platform and cannot be transferred.
• Training clusters and high-throughput inference may have separate approval processes.

Best for

• Startups committed to open-weight models rather than proprietary APIs.
• Teams that need both training/fine-tuning infrastructure and serving endpoints.
• Founders optimizing for inference cost and model portability.

Verdict

Together AI's startup program is ideal for teams that want to own their model stack. It combines training credits with discounted inference, which is a rare pairing. If your product relies on open weights, this is one of the most relevant programs available.

Related:

• OpenAI for Startups
• Anthropic Startup Program
• NVIDIA Inception
• Alternatives to Ollama and Local LLMs