Google for Startups: bringing the best of Google to startups everywhere
Startups look at the world through the lens of opportunity—they see problems and take action to fix them, building never-before-seen solutions. When they succeed, they move us all forward. Helping startups is a key part of Google’s DNA, and around the world Google employees train and mentor people in their local startup communities. That's why we launched Google for Entrepreneurs in 2011, bringing the best of Google's resources to 50+ startup coworking spaces, accelerators and diversity-focused groups in 125 countries (and six of our own bustling Campuses, from Sao Paulo to Seoul).
We are inspired every day by the startups solving real problems in these communities. Founders like Army veteran Tim Horan, who returned from Afghanistan to find many of his fellow veterans struggling to translate their skills to their next chapter. Tim and his cofounder Brian Abrahamson sought out the help of American Underground, our partner tech hub in Durham, North Carolina, and together they launched Veteran Capital. Their veteran-in-residence program has built a powerful pipeline of former service members at Fort Bragg, and connects them with job opportunities at tech startups in North Carolina’s thriving Research Triangle.
We're equally inspired by founders like Temie Giwa-Tubosun in Lagos, Nigeria, who saw that every year tens of thousands of people in her country die waiting for blood, not because of supply, but because of inefficient transportation systems connecting donor blood to those in need. She used the power of blockchain and artificial intelligence to launch her startup, Lifebank, an app and motorcycle network that connects blood banks to hospitals in urgent need of blood. LifeBank can now deliver 10,000 pints of blood in a single hour and is expanding to more countries across the developing world.
Temie’s startup, Lifebank, helped save over 1,300 lives in their first year of operation.
We want to help founders like Tim and Temie do what they do best. And that’s why we bring the best of Google's resources for startups all in one place at startup.google.com. There you can find Google's products, connections and best practices for growing startups.
Google's products
We know one of the most important things for early stage startups is to get started quickly. That’s why Google Cloud for Startups helps early stage companies get up and running by providing technical mentorship and training, community events and access to Google products at a discount including Google Cloud Platform (“GCP”), G Suite, Maps, Hire and Qwiklabs.
Soon-to or recently launched app-based startups can apply to Start on Android, which helps developers test, iterate, optimize and launch their app on Google Play.
Google's connections
We've seen one of the best ways we can help startups is to connect them to our network of communities, mentors, investors, educational programming and opportunities. Launchpad Accelerator is a program for startups of all stages that empowers them with customized Machine Learning training, equity-free support and mentorship from Google engineers and Launchpad's global mentor network. The Sand Hill program provides custom support and connections to different Google teams for startups on the cusp of rapid growth.
Google's best practices
To share Google's own best practices on innovation, we provide in-person workshops, online training videos, and other resources to help with everything from goal-setting to hiring to rapid prototyping. We want to make connections for diverse and underrepresented founders, so we partner with groups like Astia, Aging2.0, AfroTech, CodeFirst Girls, and Tech Inclusion. We work with our partners to host founder immersion programs for Black founders in the U.S, with the goal of creating more inclusive startup communities everywhere. We’re working to make our own communities more inclusive, too—over 50 percent of participants in our programs at Google for Startups Campuses are women.
A new start
Our mission has remained the same since 2011, but today we’re updating our name to Google for Startups to better reflect our users--tech startups and startup communities. Next month, we’re also opening an expanded Google for Startups Campus space in Tel Aviv. This will give Israel's vibrant "startup nation” a space to pursue their ideas and run their businesses— whether that means connecting with other startups, attending product training workshops or taking advantage of Google resources.
Beginning today, startups can also apply to Google for Startups Residency. Participating startups receive tailored mentorship and workspace for 5-6 months at a Google for Startups Campus in London, Madrid, São Paulo, Seoul, Tel Aviv or Warsaw.
To follow the latest from Google for Startups, visit startup.google.com, or follow us on Twitter at @GoogleStartups.
