IT services and infrastructure company Amazon Web Services (AWS) has opened applications for the third cohort of the AWS Generative AI Accelerator (GAIA), which is an eight-week global programme designed to scale early-stage startups building foundational generative AI technologies.

AWS will award each selected startup up to $1-million in credits and mentorship, education and access to enterprise-grade expertise to help them build and scale transformative generative AI technologies.

Forty promising startups from around the world will be selected for this year’s programme, which kicks off on October 13, at Amazon’s headquarters, in Seattle, in the US.

Applications are open until July 10, and the selected cohort will be announced on September 24.

Generative AI tools are now widely available, and AWS is focusing efforts 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.

Startups building large language models, infrastructure tooling, fine-tuning platforms, or foundational agents are especially encouraged to apply, the company says.

Further, companies that apply should have a functioning minimum viable product, 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, it adds.

The programme 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 technology stack.

Additionally, this year’s cohort will reflect AWS’s commitment to global inclusion, with selected companies drawn from North America, Asia Pacific and Japan, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Latin America.

The programme will include industry-specific mentoring and support for foundational model companies, infrastructure providers, and application-layer innovators.

“Almost all startups will be applying generative AI to their business in one shape or form. That is why we are honing our focus to support those startups developing the foundational technologies that will define what’s possible with AI for this year's accelerator,” says AWS VP and global head of startups Jon Jones.

“This year’s programme 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.”