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Eligibility Criteria
To qualify for the GitLab for Startups programme, companies must:
- Be externally funded
- Be either:
- Pre Seed or Seed stage with up to $5 million in external funding
- Series A or Series B with up to $20 million in external funding
- Be a new GitLab customer
- Apply via the official GitLab application form
Self funded startups are not currently eligible.
GitLab validates eligibility during the application process and makes the final approval decision.
Funding Verification Requirements
GitLab requires validation of external funding.
Applicants must provide one of the following:
- A Crunchbase profile
- A PitchBook profile
- A relevant VC or accelerator webpage
- Or another public document confirming funding status
If the link provided does not clearly show your funding stage or amount, additional documentation must be submitted.
Applications without sufficient funding verification will not be considered.
How to Redeem
- Login to your FounderPass Premium account
- Visit the Gitlab page via the link at the top of this page
- Complete the form with company details and funding validation documents.
- GitLab reviews the application and confirms eligibility.
- If approved, the relevant discount or free Ultimate plan is applied to your account.
GitLab typically contacts applicants before renewal periods to discuss year two pricing and transition options.
What Is GitLab?
GitLab is a full DevSecOps platform that combines source code management, CI/CD, security scanning, compliance, planning, and deployment into a single application.
Rather than stitching together separate tools for repositories, pipelines, security, and collaboration, GitLab consolidates the development lifecycle into one unified platform.
For fast moving startups, this reduces tooling overhead, simplifies governance, and improves visibility across engineering teams.
Why founders choose GitLab early
Founders often choose GitLab early because it scales with them. A small team can use it for simple version control and pipelines, then gradually unlock advanced security, compliance, and governance features as customer requirements become more demanding. This avoids painful migrations later.
Having security embedded directly into the development lifecycle is particularly valuable for startups selling into regulated or enterprise markets. It allows teams to demonstrate best practices from day one rather than retrofitting controls under pressure.
How GitLab supports growing engineering teams
As teams grow from five engineers to fifty, coordination becomes harder. GitLab supports structured collaboration through merge request workflows, automated testing, approval rules and clear deployment visibility.
Leadership benefits as well. Product and engineering leaders gain real time insight into delivery timelines, pipeline health, and release quality without relying on manual reporting.
When GitLab makes the biggest impact
GitLab tends to deliver the most value when:
- A startup is moving from MVP to production scale
- The team is preparing for enterprise contracts or compliance audits
- Engineering headcount is increasing rapidly
- Multiple DevOps tools are creating complexity
For founders who want speed without sacrificing security or governance, GitLab provides a robust foundation that can grow with the business rather than needing to be replaced later.
Alternatives to GitLab
Gitlab FAQs
Who is eligible for the GitLab for Startups programme?
The programme is available to externally funded startups that meet GitLab’s funding thresholds.
Typically this includes:
- Pre Seed or Seed companies with up to $5 million in external funding
- Series A or Series B companies with up to $20 million in external funding
Applicants must be new GitLab customers and provide funding validation during the application process. GitLab makes the final eligibility decision.
Can bootstrapped or self funded startups apply?
At present, the programme is limited to externally funded startups. Self funded companies are not currently eligible under this structure.
If your company does not meet the funding criteria, you would need to explore standard GitLab pricing rather than the startup programme.
What exactly do startups receive in year one?
For Seed stage startups, year one includes free access to GitLab Ultimate for up to 20 users.
For Series A and B startups, year one typically includes 50% off any GitLab tier, up to 20 users.
Support is not included in the free Ultimate year. All offers are subject to GitLab’s review and approval.
What happens in year two?
Year two pricing depends on your funding stage.
- Seed stage startups receive 50% off year two, up to 20 users
- Series A or B startups receive 25% off year two, up to 20 users
GitLab will contact you ahead of renewal to confirm next steps and ensure there is no disruption to your team.
How does GitLab verify funding?
GitLab requires applicants to provide documentation confirming funding status. This usually includes a Crunchbase or PitchBook profile, or a relevant VC or accelerator webpage.
If your funding stage is not clearly displayed, you must provide additional documentation. Applications without proper verification will not be considered.
Is GitLab suitable for very early stage startups?
Yes, particularly for technical founding teams building SaaS or software products. Even at MVP stage, GitLab can provide version control, CI/CD pipelines, and structured collaboration.
The key advantage is long term scalability. Startups can begin with core functionality and gradually adopt advanced security and compliance features as they grow, avoiding a disruptive platform migration later.
Deal change log
- Feb 12th, 2026 - Update to redemption method
- Jan 8th, 2026 - Deal updated