Building an AI startup from a challenging environment requires dedication and sacrifices. As the team behind PAsk (an AI knowledge engine), we were thrilled when our company, Developers Plus, was officially accepted into the Claude Startups program on October 7th.
The approval email promised $1,000 in API credits, a 1-year Claude Team plan for 5 members, and access to Applied AI office hours with the Anthropic team.
- The First Surprise: Uncredited Benefits and Revocation
After checking our dashboard, we noticed that none of the promised credits or Team subscriptions were actually applied to our account. We reached out to support for clarification.
To our shock, on the morning of October 9th (7:52 AM), we received an email stating that Anthropic had removed the startup offer from our account. They explained that they underestimated demand and were now "re-reviewing" applications, meaning previously approved startups might no longer receive the benefits.
- The Second Blow: Last-Minute Cancellation After a Long Journey
Despite losing the credits, we were still eager to attend the scheduled Applied AI Office Hours on Friday, October 9th at 10:00 AM PT, hoping to present PAsk and discuss technical roadblocks.
Because we are based in Gaza, where ongoing war and destroyed infrastructure make finding a stable internet connection extremely difficult and dangerous, every meeting requires immense effort. Friday is also an official day off, but I made a long, difficult journey early in the morning just to reach a place with internet and ensure I was online and prepared for the session.
At 8:03 AM—less than two hours before the meeting—we received an email stating that the session was postponed by a full week due to high demand.
- A Message to Big Tech Companies
We understand that managing high volume is difficult for growing startup programs. However, behind every "reschedule" or "revocation" email, there are founders making real sacrifices and moving under extremely harsh conditions just to show up on time.
When choosing an AI infrastructure provider for PAsk, we were evaluating multiple platforms. Trust, consistency, and respect for commitments are critical factors for any startup building core products.
Due to this experience with Anthropic, we have decided not to rely on their services or integrate Claude into our tech stack going forward. We strongly advise other founders—especially those operating in high-risk or resource-constrained environments—to carefully evaluate a provider's reliability before building their products on platforms that can withdraw their support overnight.
We hope Anthropic takes this feedback constructively to treat early-stage founders with the respect and professional consistency they deserve.
Top comments (0)