Vector database usage credits plus free Standard tier and Pro support for startups.
Pinecone for Startups is a databases and data perk from Pinecone, free to use, open to any startup.
Get new Databases & Data programs by email
Get an email if Pinecone for Startups closes, changes its offer or sets a deadline. Also every new Databases & Data program as it opens. Unsubscribe in one click.
Applying to Pinecone takes a few minutes.
RailwayDeploys apps, databases and background jobs from a GitHub repo$20 (opens in new tab)
ScraperAPIScraping API that handles proxies, browsers and CAPTCHAs for you1,000 API credits (opens in new tab)
TheirStackJob-posting and tech-stack data for finding companies, with an APIFree plan (opens in new tab)Usage credits and discounts on Pinecone, plus free Standard tier access and Pro support, for startups at Series A or earlier with fewer than 100 employees. Pinecone's startup page publishes no credit amount.
Source: The provider's official program page (pinecone.io/startup-program) · as of Nov 14, 2026
Source: The provider's official program page (pinecone.io/startup-program) · as of Nov 14, 2026
Confirmed on : the page still states “Pinecone for Startups gives you free access to Pinecone's Standard Tier and Pro Support, which comes with access to any cloud/region deployment, RBAC, Backups, Import, Prometheus Metrics, a dedicated Slack channel, and much more. Startups in the program also receive usage credits and discounts.”
Other vector database providers run startup programs of their own, with different gates.
A 20% discount on Qdrant Cloud for the first year, for pre-seed to Series A startups under five years old with less than $5M in funding.
Source: Qdrant for Startups page (qdrant.tech/qdrant-for-startups)
Credits of $8,192 for startups with fewer than 50 employees and under $50M raised, applied with a code from one of turbopuffer's partners.
Source: turbopuffer startups page (turbopuffer.com/startups)
Program discounts on Zilliz Cloud and technical guidance from Zilliz experts for early-stage AI startups. Zilliz publishes no discount figure on this page.
Source: Zilliz for Startups page (zilliz.com/zilliz-for-startups)
A startup deal on Weaviate Cloud, redeemed through a form with the email of your Weaviate Console account. Weaviate publishes no discount figure on this page.
Source: Weaviate startup deal page (weaviate.io/startup-deal)
Each value is the one its own program page shows today. The reasons were read on the linked pages on October 29, 2026.
Each answer restates what Pinecone and the pages linked under it say, read on October 29, 2026; every quoted line was still on those pages on November 14, 2026.
Yes. Pinecone for Startups gives qualifying startups “free access to Pinecone's Standard Tier and Pro Support”, plus usage credits and discounts. You apply through the form on Pinecone's startup page.
Source: Pinecone for Startups page (pinecone.io/startup-program)
Pinecone does not publish a credit amount. Its startup page says only that startups in the program “also receive usage credits and discounts”, with no dollar figure, length or tiers.
Amounts quoted for this program on other sites are not on Pinecone's own pages, so confirm the figure in the offer Pinecone sends you before you plan around it.
For scale, Pinecone's pricing page lists Standard at “$50/month min. usage” and sells response SLAs through a “Developer or Pro support add-on” on the Builder and Standard plans. Free Standard Tier and Pro Support is the benefit Pinecone does state.
Source: Pinecone for Startups page (pinecone.io/startup-program), Pinecone pricing page (pinecone.io/pricing)
Pinecone lists two conditions: fewer than 100 employees, and Series A or earlier. It states no company-age limit and no cap on funds raised.
Source: Pinecone for Startups page (pinecone.io/startup-program)
Fill in the form on Pinecone's startup page. It asks for your Pinecone Org Id, so you need a Pinecone organization first. Questions go to startups@pinecone.io.
Source: Pinecone for Startups page (pinecone.io/startup-program)
Free access to Pinecone's Standard Tier and Pro Support, plus usage credits and discounts. Pinecone says the plan and support come with a dedicated Slack channel and access to any cloud and region.
Source: Pinecone for Startups page (pinecone.io/startup-program)
Yes. Pinecone has a free Starter plan for trying out and small applications. Builder is $20/month flat, Standard has a $50/month minimum with a 3 week trial that includes $300 credits, and Enterprise has a $500/month minimum.
Source: Pinecone pricing page (pinecone.io/pricing)
We have read Pinecone's page for it (pinecone.io/startup-program) 3 times since August 15, 2026, most recently on November 13, 2026. No read has found a different figure or a change in whether it takes applications.
Every startup program change we found this quarterCompared side by side in Best Database & Data Credits for Startups.
Are you from Pinecone, or did you spot something out of date? Send us an update or partner with us.
Show this listing on your own site with a badge.
