Meta Launches "Llama for Startups" Program

Meta is empowering early-stage AI companies with its new "Llama for Startups" program. This initiative offers direct support from Meta's Llama team and financial assistance to eligible startups building generative AI applications using Llama models.

Program Details and Eligibility

Qualified U.S.-based startups can receive up to $6,000 per month for six months to offset development costs. Eligibility criteria include:

  • Incorporated in the U.S.
  • Less than $10 million in funding raised.
  • At least one developer on staff.
  • Building generative AI applications.

The application deadline is May 30. Interested startups can learn more and apply through the official Llama for Startups blog post.

Meta's Growing AI Ecosystem

This program reinforces Meta's commitment to open-source AI and strengthens its position in the competitive generative AI landscape. While Llama models have seen over a billion downloads, Meta faces competition from rivals like DeepSeek, Google, and Alibaba's Qwen. The company aims to build a robust Llama ecosystem despite recent setbacks, including reported delays with Llama 4 Behemoth and controversy surrounding benchmark scores.

Meta's Ambitious AI Revenue Goals

Meta has high expectations for Llama and its broader generative AI portfolio. The company projects substantial revenue growth from these products, potentially reaching between $460 billion and $1.4 trillion by 2035. Meta has already established revenue-sharing agreements with some Llama model hosts and recently launched a customization API. CEO Mark Zuckerberg has also hinted at potential ads and subscription features for Meta AI, the company's Llama-powered AI assistant.

Significant Investment in AI

Developing these AI products requires significant investment. Meta's "GenAI" budget exceeded $900 million in 2024 and is projected to surpass $1 billion this year. This excludes the substantial infrastructure costs for running and training the models. Meta's planned capital expenditures of $60 billion to $80 billion in 2025, primarily for new data centers, further underscore its commitment to AI.