Tech giant Google offers a wide variety of programmes and initiatives to help startups grow and scale
India had more than 93,000 startups according to data released by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) in April 2023. Indian startups have a combined valuation of more than $500 billion, and the number of startups will surpass 1,80,000 by 2030, as per a report by Inc42 titled, ‘The State of Indian Startup Ecosystem 2023’.
However, despite the large number of startups getting launched every day, few manage to survive and succeed. In fact, according to a report by StartupTalky, about 1,27,000 startups fail every day in India and almost 80% of startups find it difficult to compete in the first five years and fold. Industry experts attribute it to a lack of correct resources and guidance. The good news of such startups is that there is help at hand from the likes of Google.
Google’s initiative
Tech Giant Google has been at the forefront of helping emerging startups, budding entrepreneurs and small-scale businesses to scale their operations and increase their revenue. Google runs multiple programmes and products for the startup community.
“Google believes that startups solve the world’s important challenges with agility, innovation and determination. If startups succeed, communities and economies prosper,” it said on Google for Startups, a website dedicated to the initiative.
Over 200,000 jobs have been created by startups under Google for the startup programme with funds raised worth $7.8 billion in the year 2022. Almost 39% of alumni startups have women in their founding teams.
Programmes by Google for Startups
1. STARTUP SCHOOL
The Google Startup School is an initiative that offers a series of guided online training and workshops. The programme is facilitated in such a way that it helps equip early-stage startups with the required tools, products, and knowledge that they need.
The programme ensures that it provides all the necessary help with virtual workshops, expert panels, and fireside chats. There is also an exclusive programme for founders that provides essential growth and tech skills, such as setting OKRs (Objective and key results), making technical hires, preparing data pipeline and benefiting the most from Google’s Cloud and Ads technologies.
Key Benefits of Startup Schools
- Guidance from experienced founders
- Training by Google
- Google product training
- Interactive live sessions
- On-demand training
Google for Startups Startup School: AI
Google has announced that starting in 2024, it will offer a six-week in-depth AI training programme taught by experts who will help accelerate business growth using Google’s AI products and solutions.
2. APPSCALE ACADEMY
Google launched Appscale Academy in partnership with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) Startup Hub Last year to help startups improve their application’s performance and scale their growth.
Under the initiative, 100 early to mid-stage startups across India are trained and mentored to build high-quality apps for India and the world.
“We have put together a customized curriculum, including virtual instructor-led webinars, self-learning material, and mentorship sessions with leading local and global professionals from Google and the Industry,” Google stated on its blog.
Post the completion of a three-month programme comprising virtual and in-person coaching, courses, and training workshops with the selected 100 startups, a selection committee further shortlists a group of startups (not more than 30) that receive additional benefits.
What participants get
Here’s a highlight of what the participants selected for the Appscale Academy programme will receive:
Training: Curriculum-based learning with trainers from Google and the industry along with Google self-paced learning programmes, invite-only seminars & events.
Rewards: These will include product credits, hardware and more.
Mentorship: One to few mentorships in specific areas of support.
Promotions: They will be guided with top marketing techniques for app success.
Investor pitches: Help with pitching ideas to venture capitalists.
Custom Reviews: Expert reviews and custom reports on app design and security.
A select number of developers will also receive:
- 1:1 mentorship by Google and Industry Experts
- Leadership Coaching
- Google Product credits
- Hardware with Android
- Opportunity to pitch to VCs
- Potential opportunity to be showcased on Google Play
The programme is limited to only one app submission per startup.
3. ACADEMIES
Google for Startups Academies offers tailored workshops, mentoring and engaging networking opportunities. With the help of these academies, founders can develop critical skills in the most important and required area of growth that is leadership and sales. Currently, three academies function under this initiative
Growth Academy: Key benefits of the growth academy include
equity-free support, customised mentorship, Google product
support and advice. In addition, it also helps the businesses scale to
perform globally with contact building with fellow founders from
the alumni network. As of now, two growth academies deal with AI
for cybersecurity and AI for health.
Founders Academy: The Founders Academy provides efficient
leadership training with team management skills. It also provides
research-based strategies and coaching to develop people
management skills to the next level. Participants in the programme
get access to workshops and 1:1 mentoring to increase the user base
and expand to different new markets. Some notable alumni are Grip,
Lullaai, Femtasy, SmartAlto and Infermedica.
Cloud Academy: The Cloud Academy helps make data-driven
decisions with an insight into Machine learning and Artificial
Intelligence. Moreover, it also provides Google Cloud credit and
support to help leverage and digitally transform business. The
academy also offers a networking facility with Google Cloud
technologies and other products with the one-on-one mentorship
programme from Google to solve business problems and improve
performance.
4. STARTUPS ACCELERATOR PROGRAMMES
A fully functional startup may need suggestions and help at different
stages. Google through its accelerator programme helps serve a
selected group of top growth-stage startups with needed technical
product and leadership training from experts. This is the same reason for Google’s motto that says ‘Started by You. Accelerated with Google.’
To this day, there are more than 15 accelerators from Google that
feature a cohort of over 10 top startups that come together to help
tackle specific technical challenges to grow businesses. The
accelerator programmes include workshops based on product
design, customer acquisition, and leadership development.
Different accelerator programmes for Google include Accelerator for Brazil,
Canada, Europe, India, Japan, Korea, Latin founders, Middle East and
North Africa, Southeast Asia and others like Accelerator for black
founders, circular economy, climate change, cloud and women
founders.
5. GOOGLE FOR STARTUPS FUNDS
Google for Startups Funds aims at providing non-dilutive cash
rewards and hands-on support to help underserved and at-risk
founders help and grow their corresponding businesses.
The company has four funds now that cater to the different sections
of society that have been either left behind because of geopolitical
tensions or other issues. Here are four funds that Google deals with:
Women Founders Fund: Google has left no stone untouched when
it comes to areas of women empowerment, generating more women
entrepreneurs and founders who solve the problems of humanity.
The first edition of the Women Founders Fund is open to women-led
startups building with AI in the regions of India, Korea and Japan.
The programme offers cash rewards and support with product support from Google’s vast resources library. Google’s vision is to remove the gender gap from the startup space.
Ukraine Support Fund: Since Russia attacked Ukraine, the
country’s economy and its businesses have faced a significant
challenge. The fund which accounts for around $5 million helps
maintain and grow the businesses in the country, thereby
strengthening the community and building a foundation after the
post-war economic crisis.
The fund is operated by Huge Thing, a support and development
group for acceleration programmes for startups. Startups in the
country work with staff across borders to maintain business
liquidity and further investments.
Black Founders Fund: Established in the year 2020, the fund has
awarded more than $30 million to support and help Black-led
startups in Africa, Brazil, Europe, and the United States. The main
objective has been to secure funds, strengthen communities, and
create generational change. Key benefits of the programmes also
include Google Cloud credits and product support.
Latino Founders Fund: Established in 2020, it supports Latino-led
startups in the United States to secure funding, strengthen
communities and create generational change. The recipients get
cash rewards with Google mentorship and product support to help
them navigate the route of the startup journey.
