Before you apply: six details worth checking.
Avoid preventable dead ends by checking customer status, prior promotions, partner access and the billing terms first.
Check current customer status, previous awards, business evidence, partner access, regional availability and the post-offer bill. Save the official terms and the date you read them alongside your application.
1. Your current plan
A free workspace and a paid subscription are different eligibility facts. Notion and Linear list nonpaying-customer conditions for their startup offers. Paying for a tool today does not automatically mean a startup discount can reduce the next renewal. Confirm this before cancelling or changing a plan.
2. Previous credits and promotions
Look beyond the current account balance. A previous promotion may matter even if it expired or was barely used. Notion’s terms refer to previous promotions, while other programs have their own startup-credit history rules. If another founder or employee managed the account, ask them before choosing “no previous credits.”
3. Evidence of the business
Prepare a public website, business-domain email, formation date and funding details. MongoDB’s startup criteria include a company or founder LinkedIn profile. Keep this information consistent with the application and avoid guessing a date or funding total just to finish the form.
4. The partner route
Linear’s startup program uses approved partner access. HubSpot has partner and funding-based routes. An accelerator’s marketing page mentioning “perks” is not proof that your specific membership includes a particular offer. Find the actual application link or identifier and ask about the current benefit.
5. The countries involved
Check both where you operate and where the company is registered. We ask for a program-specific confirmation because provider availability and restrictions can differ. A company registered abroad does not, by itself, answer every regional question.
6. The bill after the benefit
Record the start date, duration, covered products, overage treatment and any contract commitment. HubSpot startup pricing includes annual commitment terms. A discount can still require spending you would not otherwise make.
Keep an application record
Save the official URL, a copy of the terms you relied on, questions you asked and the provider’s response. Mark “applied” only after submitting through the provider. The ClawIsOpen checklist records your progress; it does not send an application or confirm an award.
Sources & review
Official sources checked 2026-09-16. Recheck provider terms before applying.