AI First

Two women and a man are having a friendly conversation with smiles on their faces.
United Kingdom - Hybrid (online and in-person)
12 weeks
Seed to Series A

A 12-week equity-free accelerator program for Seed to Series A startups based in the United Kingdom. The Accelerator aims to connect the best of Google's products and people to empower startups to scale their business, towards success in the rapidly evolving landscape of AI and technology.

Two women and a man are having a friendly conversation with smiles on their faces.
United Kingdom - Hybrid (online and in-person)
12 weeks
Seed to Series A

Applications are now open

Up to Series A funded startups are invited to apply by Feb 21, 2025

Apply Now

About the program

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About the program

A global series of programs
Each cohort of 10-15 startups comes together to tackle technical challenges that can help grow their businesses through a mix of remote and in-person, 1-to-1, group learning sessions, and sprint projects.

Dedicated expert help
Founders outline the top technical challenges for their startup, and are paired with experts from Google and the industry to solve those challenges and grow their business.

Specialist deep dives
Accelerators include deep dives and workshops focused on product design, customer acquisition, and leadership development for founders.

Google for Startups Cloud program
Eligible participants receive up to $350,000 in Google Cloud credits, dedicated support from startup experts, technical training and access to key industry events. Find out more.

Additionally, participants are eligible to receive 30 days of free Cloud TPU access through the TPU Research Cloud program to accelerate their open-source machine learning research. Find out more.

Key benefits

  • Equity-free support

    Equity-free support: For duration of program.

  • Mentoring

    Dedicated mentoring from Google teams.

  • Training

    Exclusive invitations to technical bootcamps hosted by Google where offered.

  • Access to experts

    Access to Google's network of industry experts.

  • Google product credits

    Eligible startups receive product credits.

  • Early access

    Access to new Google products and tools as relevant.

  • Strategic support

    Support on company and product strategy.

  • Technical project partnership

    Work hand in hand with experts from Google on your biggest tech challenges.

  • Exposure

    To potential partners, VCs and ecosystem players interested in AI startups.

Entry Criteria

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Entry Criteria

  • Startups demonstrating traction, ideally between Seed and Series A stage, and have a team of ten or more
  • Building a scalable product or service with a significant total addressable market and defensible growth model
  • Deeply technical, leveraging AI and machine learning technologies with a dedicated AI lead within the team
  • Commitment from CEO, CTO and/or technical roles to participate and engage in required program sessions
  • We are committed to building accelerator classes with great startups, and encourage applications from all qualified startups

Key dates

  • January 20, 2025

    Applications Open

    Add to calendar
  • February 21, 2025

    Applications Close

    Add to calendar
  • April, 2025

    Program Kick-off

  • July, 2025

    Demo Day

  • July, 2025

    Graduation

Accelerator Alumni

Advisory Board

VC Partners

Lucy Adams, Co-Founder & COO Martee AI Lucy Adams, Co-Founder & COO Martee AI

Awesome dedicated time with mentors that got us thinking in new ways about our business and future.

Lucy Adams Co-Founder & COO Martee AI

Frequently asked questions

When was the AI First program for startups based in Europe and Israel? Will there be more in the future?

Google for Startups Accelerator: AI First for startups based in Europe and Israel ran two cohorts from September 2023 to December 2024. We expect to host more similar accelerator programs in the future. When that happens we will update the Accelerator page here.

Do you take equity or a fee to be a part of this program?

The Google for Startups Accelerator: AI First program is equity-free for all participating startups. Please note that we do require all founders (CEO and CTO) and appropriate team members to be available to join all elements of the program.

What does the hybrid format mean?

The program runs in a hybrid format for the United Kingdom. The events will take place in London, with an in-person kick-off in April 2025, followed by virtual training bootcamps, 1:1 mentoring, and experiences, and an in-person Demo Day and Graduation in July 2025.

What is the structure of the program?

Through a combination of 1-to-1 and 1-to-many learning sessions, startups will receive technical support and mentoring from experienced engineers and business experts from Google and the wider ecosystem throughout the program. This support will be specifically tailored to the needs of the startups' businesses. Along with being paired with specialized Startup Success Managers (SSM) from Google, participants will also receive further training on how to use our best practices, tools, and personnel. At the end of the program, the cohort will present their achievements in a Demo Day in front of Google teams, mentors, investors, partners and key stakeholders from the European startup ecosystem. After the program ends, startups will continue to receive support via the Google for Startups Accelerator Alumni program and network.

When will the program run?

The Google for Startups Accelerator: AI First (for startups in the United Kingdom) will run from April to July 2025. Please do not apply if you are unable to participate throughout this period.

Who should apply to Google for Startups Accelerator: AI First?

The program is open to Seed to Series A stage, tech startups based in the United Kingdom that are building innovative and highly technical AI First startups. Google for Startups Accelerators are best suited for revenue generating startups with a minimum of ten or more employees. Founders (CEO and CTO) and appropriate team members must be available to join all elements of the program. In order to ensure Google can provide meaningful value, startups should aim to leverage either Cloud or AI/ML technologies in their product, service, or operations and/or show an interest in leveraging these technologies in the future.

What is the program capacity?

There will be approximately 10-15 startups selected for this cohort.

Will startups receive Google Cloud Platform (GCP) credits?

Selected startups will be eligible for the Google for Startups Cloud Program, with your first year of Google Cloud and Firebase usage covered with credits up to 350k$ (subject to terms and conditions).

What are the criteria to receive product credits, and what does "eligible for product credits" mean?

Startups must meet specific criteria to be eligible for Google product credit offerings. To learn more about the Google Cloud credit eligibility requirements, please visit the Google Cloud startup page.