Can another AI coding tool really win over startup founders—especially with heavyweights like Cursor, Claude Code, Codex, Gemini Code Assist, GitHub Copilot, a sea of AI-infused VS Code forks, and “vibe coding” favorites like Replit and Lovable already in the mix?

 

Amazon is betting that the easiest way in is the oldest trick in the book: make it free.

 

During his re:Invent 2025 keynote, AWS CEO Matt Garman announced that qualified early-stage startups will receive a free year of Kiro Pro+ credits, Amazon’s answer to leading AI coding assistants. Eligible companies can request credits for up to 100 users.

 

The offer does come with limits. Only VC-backed startups—from pre-seed through Series B—qualify. U.S.-based companies are included, but Amazon is excluding several regions, including France, Germany, Italy, much of South America, and all trade-sanctioned countries. Startups must also submit their applications by December 31.