Meta is rolling out a new initiative aimed at encouraging startups to build on its popular Llama AI models. The program, called Llama for Startups, offers not just funding support but direct guidance from Meta’s own Llama team.
Startups based in the U.S. that have raised less than $10 million and have at least one developer on board can apply by May 30. Selected startups could receive up to $6,000 per month for six months to ease the costs of developing their AI projects. Meta’s experts will also work hands-on with them to explore advanced applications of Llama.
This move comes as Meta looks to strengthen its position in the crowded AI space. While Llama models have been downloaded over a billion times, competition is fierce from players like Google, Alibaba’s Qwen, and DeepSeek.
However, Meta hasn’t had a smooth run lately. The rollout of Llama 4 Behemoth was delayed due to performance concerns, and the company faced controversy over benchmarking results involving the Llama 4 Maverick model. Still, Meta is betting big on generative AI — forecasting billions in revenue this year and expecting trillions over the next decade.
Alongside this startup program, Meta has launched APIs for customizing Llama models and is exploring revenue-sharing deals with hosts. Mark Zuckerberg also hinted at ads and subscriptions coming to Meta AI, the company’s AI assistant powered by Llama.
Building and running these models is costly. Meta’s AI budget exceeded $900 million last year and could top $1 billion this year. Plus, they’re investing billions in new data centers to support all this AI growth.
In short, Meta is doubling down — hoping startups will fuel the next wave of innovation with Llama at its core.
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