Design Partner Program
Build the platform with us
Substrate is selecting a limited cohort of design partners — companies running Kubernetes at scale who want a direct line to our team and a seat at the table for what we build next.
For Partners
Founding-partner access, founding-partner pricing
Design partners get dedicated onboarding from our engineering team, direct Slack and email access to the people building the product, and pricing locked in for the duration of the program.
- Dedicated Slack channel with engineering
- White-glove onboarding and migration help
- Founding-partner pricing locked for 12 months
- Direct influence on the roadmap
Dedicated Slack channel with engineering
A private channel with the people building the product. No tier-one routing, no ticket queue.
White-glove onboarding
Our team helps you migrate your first Environment and works through every edge case with you.
Founding-partner pricing
Locked-in pricing for 12 months with an option to renew on the same terms.
Direct influence on the roadmap
Sit in on quarterly roadmap reviews. The features you need ship first.
What We Ask
Real workloads, real feedback
Design partners run Substrate on at least one production-adjacent environment, share telemetry with our team, and meet with us regularly to walk through what's working and what isn't.
- One production-adjacent environment running Substrate within 30 days
- Weekly product feedback session
- Permission to reference your team in our case study (after 6 months)
- Direct line to a technical sponsor on your side
Who we're looking for
The right fit for the program
Mid-market and up
100+ engineers, an established cloud bill, and Kubernetes running in production today.
Multi-cloud or multi-cluster
At least two clouds or two environments. The more operational complexity, the better the fit.
Cost-conscious
You already have cloud spend visibility on someone's plate, and you want it actually solved.
Apply
Tell us about your team
We review applications weekly. We'll respond within five business days.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How long does the program run?
12 months, with the option to renew on founding-partner pricing.
Do we have to pay during the program?
Yes — design partners pay our standard rates with a locked-in founding-partner discount. No free product.
What if we don't get in?
We'll let you know within five business days. You're always welcome on the standard self-serve tier.
Who reviews applications?
Our founding engineering team reviews every application.