How much in credits will I receive?

The amount of credits you’ll receive depends on your company’s stage, how you plan to use Deepgram, and whether you’re referred through one of our partners. Deepgram has active partnerships with leading venture capital firms, accelerators, and startup networks that provide enhanced offers to their portfolios. If you’re applying through one of these partners, you can find the specific offer listed on their perks page. For direct applicants, Deepgram’s starter offer starts at $1,000 in free Startup Program credits, with opportunities to upgrade to tiers worth up to $100,000 as you grow and deepen your product usage.

When do credits expire?

Each credit grant expires 12 months from when it's issued.

Can existing Deepgram customers apply?

Absolutely! We review all applications on a case-by-case basis. If you're already using Deepgram and meet the criteria, we'd love to support your growth.

What if I've raised more than $10M?

We evaluate applications case-by-case. If you've raised more but are still early in your voice AI journey, apply anyway and tell us about your situation. We're flexible for the right use cases.

How long does approval take?

Our team typically responds within one week of submission.

When will I receive my credits?

Startup credits are automatically deposited in your console within 24-48 hours of approval. If you're new to Deepgram, you'll also have $200 in promotional credits available immediately upon signup.

Can I invite team members?

Yes! Add as many as you need. We bill by usage, not users.

Is this program for agencies or consultants?

The Deepgram Startup Program is designed for startups building their own voice AI products, not for agencies or consultants building on behalf of clients. If you're an agency interested in Deepgram, please contact our sales team for partnership opportunities.

I am a VC/Accelerator/Startup partner and I want to offer this program to startups in my portfolio. What should I do?

We’re thrilled you want to offer this program to your startups. We work with many other top VCs and accelerators. You can contact us at startups@deepgram.com

Build your voice AI product on the platform startups trust

Get the accuracy, speed, and reliability your product demands on a single voice AI platform. Apply to Deepgram for Startups and get up $100,000 in credits over 12 months.

Apply Now

Join the program

Applicants must be:

An AI builder or early-stage startup (<$10m raised)
In production or looking to launch in the next 6 months
Committed to actively building and engaging with our community

Apply Now

99.5%

Enterprise Accuracy

Industry-leading speech recognition across accents and domains.

<200ms

Ultra-Low Latency

Real-time streaming for live conversations and voice agents.

Enterprise

Security

SOC 2, PCI, GDPR, and HIPAA compliant.

50+

Global Scale

Languages supported with consistent quality worldwide.

Those selected get exclusive access to:

Up to $100k Deepgram credits to build with Deepgram's powerful STT, TTS, Voice Agent capabilities. Credits must be used within 12 months.

Access invite-only events and engineering support groups

Exclusive access to the Deepgram startup community

Apply today!

Create a Deepgram account to apply. Have your Project ID handy. Sign in / Create account — opens in a new tab, your progress stays here.

Join an exclusive group of startups innovating with voice

Vapi is the leading platform for voice agents, enabling developers and enterprises to build low-latency, realistic agents they can trust. Our voice capabilities powered by Deepgram APIs, deliver the accuracy, low latency and quality our customers need to build reliable, real-time voice agents.

Nikhil Gupta

Founder and CTO, Vapi

Process & FAQ

1. Apply

Tell us about your startup and how you plan to use voice AI.

2. Get Accepted

Our team reviews applications and typically responds within one week.

3. Start building

Credits will be automatically deposited in your console within 24-48 hours of acceptance.