The GitHub Enterprise Loophole: Get 20 Seats FREE for 1 Year!
What Even Is This?
GitHub offers 20 seats of Enterprise plan free for 1 year (~$7,560 value).
Meant for funded startups, but the loophole = apply via Secret (a partner).
Secret accepts bootstrapped startups. No VC? Still fine. Just act like one.
[Visual irony:] Yes, the same GitHub that charges unicorns gives this away if you show up in a hoodie and lie politely.
Warnings (Read This or Cry Later)
If you’ve used GitHub Enterprise in the last 6 months, this won’t work. No double-dipping.
Don’t reuse your main GitHub account if you’ve already redeemed credits before.
Don’t overdo the bluff. Over-explaining is a red flag. Be vague, be brief, be believable.
Reality Check – How the Loophole Works
Already paying? Still eligible. GitHub will apply retroactive credit.
Apply through partner: Secret = the golden key
Link: https://resources.github.com/startups/?pid=Secret
Bootstrapped? Still allowed via Secret (confirmed by their FAQ).
Team size doesn’t matter: 1 person is enough. Don’t invent fake employees.
Manual review = bluff window: If they ask questions, you win by sounding like a CEO who knows what a burn rate is.
Startup-In-A-Box: How To Fake It Like a Pro
Step 1: Fake Founder Kit
Domain: Grab a .tech, .io, or .xyz for cheap.
Website: Use Carrd or Notion. Here’s a free template:
Template Name: Landing page website – Lunar theme
Platform: Notion
Use Case / Why: Clean hero, feature grid & social-proof section—mirrors AgentForge’s demo
Link: https://www.notion.so/templates/landing-page-website-lunar-theme
Template Name: Landing page website – Notive theme
Platform: Notion
Use Case / Why: Same layout as AgentForge but with a bold dark-gradient header
Link: https://www.notion.so/templates/landing-page-website-notive-theme
Template Name: Landing Page 2025
Platform: Notion
Use Case / Why: Stripped-back, scroll-friendly canvas with logo, tagline, features, FAQ & footer
Link: https://www.notion.so/templates/landing-page-2025
Template Name: Top 8 Free Landing Pages
Platform: Notion
Use Case / Why: Eight one-click-duplicate pages (Bullet.so, GreenySun, n0c0de, etc.)—rapid design auditions
Link: https://www.notion.so/templates/top-8-free-landing-pages
Template Name: Super Builder
Platform: Notion
Use Case / Why: 60-block drag-and-drop “Lego kit” for heroes, pricing tables, testimonials—publish on Notion Sites
Link: https://www.notion.so/templates/super-builder
Template Name: Deliberately Simple
Platform: Carrd
Use Case / Why: One-page SaaS layout: logo cloud, benefits grid, pricing & email form—free on Carrd’s Free Plan
Link: https://carrd.co/templates/deliberately-simple
Template Name: Simple Landing Page
Platform: Carrd
Use Case / Why: Minimal hero + signup CTA + above-the-fold feature trio; “Pay What You Want” (enter $0 to grab free)
Link: https://carrd.co/templates/simple-landing-page
Template Name: TEMPELDUHDED Free Carrd Templates
Platform: Carrd
Use Case / Why: Bundle of 10+ free starters—look for “Portfolio/Freelancer” or “SaaS-style” layouts
Link: https://carrd.co/templates/tempelduhded
Template Name: Startup Landing Page
Platform: Carrd
Use Case / Why: MVP launch site with features overview, pricing, CTAs
Link: https://carrd.co/templates/startup-landing-page
Template Name: Online Portfolio Starter
Platform: Carrd
Use Case / Why: Personal pitch/demo site to showcase projects
Link: https://carrd.co/templates/online-portfolio-starter
Template Name: Agency Profile
Platform: Carrd
Use Case / Why: Service-based or consultant site—introduce offerings, social proof, contact
Link: https://carrd.co/templates/agency-profile
Template Name: Aesthetic Business Site
Platform: Carrd
Use Case / Why: Minimal design with testimonials—ideal for creative startups
Link: https://carrd.co/templates/aesthetic-business-site
Template Name: Startup in a Box
Platform: Notion
Use Case / Why: Idea planning, launch checklist & demo page
Link: https://www.notion.so/templates/startup-in-a-box
Template Name: One-Page Business Plan
Platform: Notion
Use Case / Why: Public-facing overview of vision, market & strategy
Link: https://www.notion.so/templates/one-page-business-plan
Template Name: Go-To-Market Plan
Platform: Notion
Use Case / Why: Investor-ready launch timeline and tactical roadmap
Link: https://www.notion.so/templates/go-to-market-plan
Template Name: Pitch Deck Builder
Platform: Notion
Use Case / Why: Build and share fully-branded investor presentations
Link: https://www.notion.so/templates/pitch-deck-builder
Template Name: Small Business OS
Platform: Notion
Use Case / Why: All-in-one dashboard for projects, finance & goals management
Link: https://www.notion.so/templates/small-business-os
Template Name: Idea Validation OS
Platform: Notion
Use Case / Why: Structured research & idea-validation framework
Link: https://www.notion.so/templates/idea-validation-os
Email: Create a “startup” email — even founder.agentforge@gmail.com will do.
Story: “We’re building a devtool marketplace for niche AI agents.”
Funding: “Founder-backed, raising pre-seed Q4.”
Step 2: Form-Fill Wizardry
Fill the form as CEO of your “startup”
Use keywords: traction, beta users, security-first, MVP
Always choose “Secret” as your partner
Funding: say “bootstrapped” or “pre-seed”
Keep it short. Oversharing kills the magic.
Step 3: CEO Mode If They Email You
Team: “3 technical founders”
Product: “Private beta with 5 test users”
Funding: “Planning a pre-seed raise in Q4”
Why GitHub: “We’ll use Advanced Security + SAML from day one”
Tone: Calm, confident, not thirsty
Quick Startup Templates
Email Reply (If GitHub Contacts You)
Hey [Name],
Thanks for reaching out! We’re building a platform to help devs discover and integrate niche AI agents into their stack.
Team: 3 founders, all technical. Currently in private beta with 5 pilot teams.
We’re bootstrapped (founder-funded), planning a pre-seed round in Q4.
GitHub Enterprise would help us embed security and SAML best practices early. Let me know if you need anything else!
Landing Page (Carrd/Notion Copy)
AgentForge
Marketplace for AI Dev Tools
AgentForge helps developers discover niche AI agents to plug into their workflows.
Currently in closed beta with select teams.
Fully remote team. Funded by founders.
Eligible for GitHub for Startups.
[Apply for Beta] | [Contact us]
Pitch Deck Slide Titles (Optional)
Who We Are
Why AI Devs Struggle
Agent Marketplace = Fix
$X Billion Devtool Market
Fast UI + Dev APIs
Private Beta with 5 Teams
Roadmap: Public Q1 Launch
All Engineers. Ex-BigTech
Using GitHub Enterprise to Scale
Just Here for Free Credits
Bonus Startup Deals Worth Stacking
Tool Deal Hack Link
Intercom 90% off Yr1 + free Fin bot Apply via Secret or Intercom form https://www.intercom.com/
Linear 6 months free Join Mercury → Use Perks https://linear.app/
Sentry 6 months Teams plan free Apply via Secret or https://www.google.com/search?q=Scrums.com https://sentry.io/
Notion 6 months free ($1k value) Apply via Notion site https://www.notion.so/
Segment $25k credits Get from partner accelerator https://segment.com/
AWS $5k–$100k credits Use FounderHub or YC deal https://aws.amazon.com/
GCP $10k+ credits Need invite or affiliation https://cloud.google.com/
Azure Free tools + cloud credits Microsoft for Startups https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/free/
Export to Sheets
Cheat Sheet – Fake It Like a Boss
Question Ideal Answer
“How did you hear?” Secret partner page. Founder group.
“Funding?” Bootstrapped. Pre-seed planned Q4.
“Team size?” 3 founders, 1–2 part-time contributors.
“Why Enterprise?” SAML + Advanced Security for scaling.
“Using GitHub now?” Yes – want to upgrade to Enterprise tier.
Export to Sheets
Don’t sweat!
“You don’t need investors — just a Carrd page, mild confidence, and a belief in loopholes.”
Final Thought
No VC? No problem. Wear the hoodie, walk in like you belong, and let GitHub foot the bill.
