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Meta Launches “Llama for Startups” to Boost Adoption of Its AI Models
3 min read Meta has launched “Llama for Startups,” a program offering funding and expert support to early-stage U.S. companies building with its Llama AI models. The move aims to boost adoption amid rising competition and recent setbacks in Meta’s AI efforts. May 22, 2025 13:09
Meta is putting serious muscle behind its open-source Llama AI models with a new initiative aimed squarely at startups. The just-launched Llama for Startups program offers early-stage U.S. companies direct technical support and financial incentives to build with Llama — part of Meta’s bid to dominate the open generative AI ecosystem.
What Startups Get
Eligible startups — those incorporated in the U.S., with less than $10M in funding and at least one developer — can apply for the program by May 30. Selected companies may receive:
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Up to $6,000/month in support for six months
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Hands-on guidance from Meta’s Llama team
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Help exploring advanced Llama use cases
In other words, Meta isn’t just offering tools — it’s offering a launchpad.
Why Now?
The move comes as competition heats up in the open model arena. While Meta’s Llama models have crossed a billion downloads, rivals like DeepSeek, Google Gemini, and Alibaba’s Qwen are aggressively gaining traction.
And it hasn’t been all smooth sailing for Meta:
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The highly anticipated Llama 4 Behemoth has reportedly been delayed due to underwhelming benchmark performance.
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Meta was recently accused of gaming the LM Arena leaderboard by submitting a tuned Llama 4 Maverick variant that wasn’t the same as what was made publicly available.
Despite these hiccups, Meta is banking big on Llama. The company has forecasted $2–3 billion in AI revenue by 2025 — and a massive $460 billion to $1.4 trillion by 2035, based on its broader generative AI roadmap.
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