Amazon Web Services (AWS) today opened applications for the third cohort of the AWS Generative AI Accelerator (GAIA), an eight-week global program designed to scale early-stage startups building foundational generative AI technologies. Forty promising startups from around the world will be selected for this year’s program, which kicks off on October 13, 2025, at Amazon HQ1 in Seattle. Applications are open from June 10 through July 10, and the selected cohort will be announced September 24, 2025. Startups can apply here.
With generative AI tools now widely available, AWS is focusing efforts in 2025 to support those startups who are developing generative AI technologies, including building models, infrastructure, fine-tuning tools, and agentic workflows that will drive the next wave of innovation. The program aims to accelerate these teams with up to $1 million in AWS credits, technical guidance and mentorship, go-to-market support, and access to AWS’s generative AI tech stack.
“We are now at a stage where virtually all startups will be applying generative AI to their business in one shape or form. That’s why for this year’s accelerator, we are honing our focus to support those startups developing the foundational technologies that will define what’s possible with AI,” said Jon Jones, VP and Global Head of Startups at AWS. “This year’s program is part of our continued commitment to accelerate generative AI innovation around the world by providing ground-breaking startups with the credits, mentorship, and visibility they need to scale with confidence.”
The AWS Generative AI Accelerator is an eight-week hybrid program, offering virtual sessions between the in-person launch at the Amazon HQ in Seattle and conclusion of the program at AWS re:Invent 2025. Startups building large language models, infrastructure tooling, fine-tuning platforms, or foundational agents are especially encouraged to apply. Companies should have a functioning Minimum Viable Product (MVP), some customer traction, and a strong technical team. Prior AWS experience is not required, but those already building on AWS will benefit most from hands-on architecture guidance and marketplace enablement.
“At Latent Labs, we are building AI foundation models to make biology programmable and accelerate and improve drug discovery. The AWS Generative AI Accelerator offered us a unique blend of technical depth and commercial reach, which was instrumental in accelerating both our platform capabilities and our market adoption. AWS moves quickly to adapt to the fast-evolving generative AI landscape, not just with infrastructure and tooling, but with programs designed to help generative AI startups scale. As a founder, you gain access to an ecosystem that understands both the demands of building cutting-edge AI systems and the importance of aligning those systems with real-world customer needs,” said Simon Kohl, CEO and founder of Latent Labs, which participated in the 2024 AWS Generative AI Accelerator.
“At Splash Music, we’re reimagining how music is created and discovered, transforming it from a background activity into the interactive, expressive experience Gen Z consumers connect with. The AWS accelerator was a game-changer for us. It gave us early access to cutting-edge AWS tools like SageMaker HyperPod and Trainium, plus hands-on support to migrate our models from a previous provider, significantly accelerating our research velocity and model performance. Beyond the tech, AWS’s support with go-to-market strategy, public exposure, and hiring world-class talent helped us hit milestones faster than planned. For any startup building, GAIA is a no-brainer,” said Tracy Chan, CEO at Splash Music, part of last year’s program.
The 2025 cohort will reflect AWS’s commitment to global inclusion, with selected companies drawn from North America, Asia Pacific and Japan, Europe, Middle East, and Africa, and Latin America. The program will include industry-specific mentoring and support for foundational model companies, infrastructure providers, and application-layer innovators.
For more information on AWS Startups, visit www.startups.aws.
