Abstract: Techniques for a license manager service of a cloud system to provide users with the ability to activate and run licensed applications in the cloud system. Manually tracking the usage of software licenses for licensed applications can be cumbersome and error-prone. Further, the process of activating the licenses for third-party applications may be difficult or impossible depending on the activation protocols and procedures put in place by the application providers. The license manager may provide users with the ability to activate and use licensed applications, and may further provide users with a managed experience for activating the licenses for the applications. The license manager may launch licensed applications on virtual resources in a user's VPC, manage the process for activating the licensed applications with third-party providers, and provide the users with access to licensed applications that have been activated and configured by the license manager.