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description: A 6-week equity-free startup program for AI-native teams building toward production scale.
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og:image:alt: GMI Cloud
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og:site_name: GMI Cloud
og:title: SCALE at GMI Cloud | Equity-Free AI Startup Program
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twitter:description: A 6-week equity-free startup program for AI-native teams building toward production scale.
twitter:image: https://www.gmicloud.ai/_next/static/media/gmi-cloud.0t7b2ghyy4szj.png
twitter:site: @gmi_cloud
twitter:title: SCALE at GMI Cloud | Equity-Free AI Startup Program
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[canonical-links]
https://www.gmicloud.ai/en/company/scale

[document-links]
/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#f18b949fdf95b1969c98859492df9f9485
/en
About Us: /en/company/about
Ambassador program: /en/company/ambassador-program
Apply to Cohort 2 Now!: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf-hgFeeQwpRDLVzHfGzPhdZfjmziO1cUw7rh_MMnsoeUcBWg/viewform?usp=dialog
Apply to Cohort 2: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf-hgFeeQwpRDLVzHfGzPhdZfjmziO1cUw7rh_MMnsoeUcBWg/viewform?usp=dialog
Blog: /en/blog
Career: /en/company/career
Company: /en/company/about
Compute: /en/gpus
Curated Program Events in SF and Singapore A curated series of technical, GTM, fundraising workshops, architecture reviews, and 1:1 mentorship sessions with AI leaders, all designed to solve real-world scaling problems. RSVP: https://luma.com/gmicloud
Customers: /en/customers
Developers: /en/developers
Discord: https://discord.gg/mbYhCJSbF6
Documentation: https://docs.gmicloud.ai/
Events: /en/company/events
Explore Partnerships: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSenipA1YvQuBlKNwzANa-DdJIqQQaePiQuXNF4AnJhr__IaTQ/viewform?usp=header
GPUs: /en/gpus
Glossary: /en/glossary
Inference: /en/models/maas
Legal Documentation: /en/legal
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gmi-cloud-ai/
Luma: https://luma.com/gmicloud
Mission & Vision: /en/company/mission-and-vision
Model library: https://console.gmicloud.ai?auth=signup
Partnership: /en/company/partnership
Pricing: /en/pricing
Privacy Policy: /en/privacy-policy
Read the full Cohort 01 recap: /en/blog/scale-at-gmi-cohort-1-recap
Scale: /en/company/scale
Sign In: https://console.gmicloud.ai?auth=signin
Studio: /en/models/studio
Terms of Use: /en/terms-and-conditions
The Full GMI Product Suite Get complete access to the full stack: GPU Cloud for training, Inference Engine (MaaS) for deployment, Cluster Engine for orchestration, GMI Studio for visual workflows, and AgentBox to ship and distribute production AI agents. More info: https://console.gmicloud.ai?auth=signup
X: https://x.com/gmi_cloud
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYvrXI_ojg1Hcv3cT6j1CSw
https://www.instagram.com/scale_gmi/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/scale-at-gmi/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dingcharles/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/haomli/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lillianmaca/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/louisa-guo/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/shikhakansal/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/yijie-hong-32264ba2/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/yujing-qian-ab782381/
https://x.com/scale_at_gmi

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[content]
SCALE at GMI Cloud | Equity-Free AI Startup Program
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STATUS: ACTIVE
|
SYSTEM_NOMINAL
SCALE
at
GMI Cloud
6-week Equity-Free Startup Program for AI-native teams — focused on infrastructure, inference, and real-world scale
Apply to Cohort 2
PROGRAM TIME
Sept-Oct 2026
LOCATION
SF/Singapore
STATUS
Cohort 02
PROGRAM TIME
Sept-Oct 2026
LOCATION
SF/Singapore
STATUS
Cohort 02
About
Us
Where AI start-ups take form
before scale
SCALE at GMI is a hands-on scaling program for AI startups at the moment when infrastructure decisions matter most. We work with a small cohort of technical founders to help them design, optimize, and deploy production-ready AI systems — before cost, latency, and reliability become bottlenecks.
This is not a pitch competition.
It's where serious AI products get ready for real scale.
Follow us on
What Cohort
01 built
Cohort _ 01
Status: Complete
Apr – May 2026 SF/Mountainview
Cohort _ 01
Status: Complete
Apr – May 2026 SF/Mountainview
Five weeks. 25 AI companies.
Real infra, real raises, real demos.
Here's what came out, before we open Cohort 02
By the numbers
COHORT_01.READOUT
Verified
92B
Tokens burned / month
$26M
Raised collectively
$11M
Largest single raise
30%
Acceptance rate
900+
Demo day RSVPs
16
Founders on stage
Demoday · AGI House
WHAT FOUNDERS SAY
“ SCALE got our inference costs and our GTM sorted in the same five weeks. We walked into Demo Day with traction, not just a deck ”
Founder, Cohort 01
Read the full Cohort 01 recap
Apply to Cohort 2 Now!
Program
Highlights
Up to $40K+ in Structured Credits
Onboard fast with MaaS credits, unlock 1:1 matching as you scale, and earn a GPU voucher after completing the program.
100% Equity-Free
Onboard fast with MaaS credits, unlock 1:1 matching as you scale, and earn a GPU voucher after completing the program.
The Full GMI Product Suite
Get complete access to the full stack: GPU Cloud for training, Inference Engine (MaaS) for deployment, Cluster Engine for orchestration, GMI Studio for visual workflows, and AgentBox to ship and distribute production AI agents.
More info
Curated Program Events in SF and Singapore
A curated series of technical, GTM, fundraising workshops, architecture reviews, and 1:1 mentorship sessions with AI leaders, all designed to solve real-world scaling problems.
RSVP
Anyone can give you credits. We give you the room
Program
Partners
NVIDIA Inception Program
Program Partners
$125k in MaaS and Compute credits
3 Months Free Growth Plan
6 Months of Pilot Core 20% off
$3K in Database Credits
$500 TTS-only Credits per startup
$10K in API credits across TTS and STT
$300 in Credits
$500 in Credits
2 Months Free Platform Access
$8K in Credits
Up to $17,500 in credit
Up to $5,000 in credit
50% off for the first 3 months up to 3 lines
20% off first year
1k requests free a month
6 months free
Community Partner
Program
Flow
Application Deadline
August 21st
Cohort Announcement
September 7th
Program Duration
Sept 14th - Oct 22nd
Demo Day
Oct 23rd
Credits
Phase 01
-
Onboarding Credits
$500 MaaS Credits on acceptance to get your first integration live.
Completed
Unlock By
GMI Cloud org ID created
First API call logged
Best for
API usage, inference testing, multimodal workflows
Timing
Issued on acceptance
Phase 02
-
MaaS Builder Matching
1:1 credit matching up to $4,500 to accelerate real usage.
Completed
How It Works
For every $1 you add to MaaS, GMI matches $1 in credits.
Rules
1:1 matching
Up to $4,500 (cap)
Unlock By
Weekly build log published
Product shipped or in beta
Phase 03
-
Dedicated Endpoint
20% off dedicated endpoints for teams with steady volume.
Completed
Eligibility
Steady inference volume + latency needs
Coverage
Up to 200 hrs
Partner Credits
-
GMI Ecosystem
Credit and support packages offered by our partners and sponsors
Upcoming
Up to $40K from all GMI partners
Your Support
System
Meet Builders, Operators &
Mentors in the Room
People actively shaping AI systems — sharing what works, what breaks, and what scales.
Lillian Ma
Global Partnership & Growth @GMI Cloud
Yijie Hong
Director of Engineering @GMI Cloud
Zen Duan
Software Engineer @GMI Cloud
Louisa Guo
Head of Marketing @GMI Cloud
Yujing Qian
Head of Engineering @GMI Cloud
Stephan Li
Head of Sales @GMI Cloud
Charles Ding
Founder & CEO Chamber (YC W26)
Shikha Kansal
Angel Investor
Sponsor
Benefits
Partner With the Next
Generation of AI Builders
People actively shaping AI systems — sharing what works, what breaks, and what scales.
Explore Partnerships
01
Early Access to High-Signal Startups
Engage directly with 25+ AI startups actively building toward production — before fundraising pressure and platform lock-in.
02
Direct Founder Relationships
Curated 1:1 introductions with founders who opt in to work with you, facilitated by the GMI team to ensure relevance and fit.
03
High-Signal Program Presence
Contribute to the program through a focused keynote, workshop, and engage directly with founders, partners, and investors at the private Demo Dinner.
04
Long-Term Ecosystem Visibility
Premier brand placement across program materials and announcements, plus early access and priority consideration for future cohorts.
FAQ
Who is behind SCALE?
+
Where is the program held?
+
Who should apply?
+
What stage startups do you accept?
+
What does participation require?
+
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