HackerNoon, the community-driven technology publishing platform, announced today the release of a new searchable database of AI software and compute grants and credits to help startups and developers identify funding opportunities from over $XXX million in active programs that support AI innovation and growth.
As the global AI industry experiences rapid acceleration, startups face unprecedented challenges in accessing affordable compute resources and enterprise-grade AI tools. The newly launched database enables anyone building AI products to find and apply for the most relevant grant or credit programs across leading technology providers.
“We’ve seen countless startups stall or die at the cost of scaling their AI ideas,” said HackerNoon Founder & CEO David Smooke. “By consolidating verified AI software and GPU credit programs into one open resource, we’re helping founders, builders, and AI researchers save time, reduce costs, and acquire the resources they need to build the next generation of AI technology.”
A Growing Need for Accessible AI Infrastructure
While open-source breakthroughs like DeepSeek demonstrate that innovation can emerge from anywhere, the cost of training large models or hiring experienced researchers remains out of reach for most startups. Meanwhile, established technology companies continue to extend market dominance through hosting infrastructure and network effects.
Recognizing these barriers, HackerNoon’s team manually verified and compiled each program in the database, ensuring accuracy on amounts, eligibility, and application links. The database spans academic programs, AI/ML platforms, APIs, cloud infrastructure, communications, databases, developer tooling, government grants, and more.
“When we first researched this space, we found that over 90% of AI grant listings online contained errors or missing data,” added Smooke. “We rebuilt the list from the ground up with a human-verified approach so developers could trust what they find.”
How the AI Grant Search Works
Users can filter by category, funding amount (from under $1,000 to $500,000), or by company name. Each listing includes a direct “Apply for Access” link, providing the most accurate route to application pages. Secondary resources link to HackerNoon’s Company Data & Blogs library for additional insights on participating technology firms such as NVIDIA, IBM, and others.
Call for Participation
Organizations offering AI credits or grant programs are invited to submit their initiativesto HackerNoon. HackerNoon’s editorial team will continue to expand and update the database as new programs become available. To explore the AI Grants and Credits Database or submit a program for inclusion, visit HackerNoon AI.
For media inquiries, interviews, or collaboration opportunities, please contact:
Sheharyar Khan,
sheharyar@hackernoon.com
About HackerNoon
How hackers start their afternoons. HackerNoon is built for technologists to read, write, and publish. We are an open and international community of 35k+ contributing writers publishing stories and expertise for 4M+ curious and insightful monthly readers. Founded in 2016, HackerNoon is an independent technology publishing platform run by David Smooke and Linh Dao Smooke. Start blogging about technology today.