Amid a climate emergency, Google opens new accelerator to support social impact startups
Google will select startups on the basis of UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, including poverty, peace, and justice. In early 2020, eight to 10 startups will take part in this six-month accelerator programme.
We are in the middle of an obvious global climate crisis, almost an emergency. Be it the Amazon fires or the melting polar caps, the world needs active participation from every individual to help improve the situation. Now, Google has launched a new accelerator programme to encourage social impact startups with innovative solutions.
Announced at this year’s Web Summit by Google's Sustainability Officer Kate Brandt on Tuesday, the accelerator programme will focus only on social startups working on sustainability.
Kate Brandt (image: Green Tech Media)
The programme will function as a part of Google’s internal accelerator, called Google for Startups. Here, startups will be helped by the technology behemoth to get investors. These startups will have access to Google’s resources and receive executive mentoring from 20 teams at the company as well as outside experts and local mentors.
Kate added,
“While investors are increasingly seeing value in social impact startups, there are unique challenges in attracting the right investors, and competing with traditional startups who are focussed primarily on growth or acquisition. This accelerator will help participants connect and work with a wider base of potential investors,” according to Google Blog.
These startups will be selected on the basis of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, including poverty, peace, and justice. For the programme, applications are open to startups from across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa in the next few weeks. Then, eight to 10 chosen startups will take part in a six-month programme in early 2020. A second cohort will be selected later in the year.
Kate said,
“People with social impact expertise don’t always have experience building tech products. So, our programme seeks to bring startups together with the best technology products, data, and people to help them build expertise.”
Here’s hoping the tech giant opens it up to Asian startups as well.
(Edited by Saheli Sen Gupta)
