AI First
Middle East, North Africa, Turkey - Hybrid
10 weeks
Seed to Series A
A 10-week equity-free accelerator program for Seed to Series A startups based in MENA and Turkey. 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.
Middle East, North Africa, Turkey - Hybrid
10 weeks
Seed to Series A
About the program
About the program
Google for Startups Accelerator: AI First is a 10-week, equity-free hybrid program for Seed to Series A, AI First startups. In partnership with Google Cloud, the AI First program helps high-potential startups based in MENA and Turkey grow with the best of Google through a mix of in-person and virtual activities, 1:1 mentoring, and group learning sessions.
In addition to mentorship and technical project support, the Google for Startups Accelerator: AI First program features deep dives and workshops focused on product design, business growth, and leadership development. Selected startups will also benefit from dedicated Google AI technical expertise and receive credits via the Google for Startups Cloud Program.
Key benefits
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Equity-free support
Equity-free support: For duration of program.
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Mentoring
Dedicated mentoring from Google teams.
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Training
Exclusive invitations to technical bootcamps hosted by Google where offered.
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Access to experts
Access to Google's network of industry experts.
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Google product credits
Eligible startups receive product credits.
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Early access
Access to new Google products and tools as relevant.
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Strategic support
Support on company and product strategy.
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Technical project partnership
Work hand in hand with experts from Google on your biggest tech challenges.
Entry Criteria
Entry Criteria
- Startups demonstrating traction, ideally between Seed and Series A stage
- Building a scalable product or service with a significant total addressable market and defensible growth model
- Deeply technical, preferably leveraging technologies like machine learning and AI
- Commitment from CTO and/or technical roles to participate and engage in required program sessions
- We are committed to building accelerator classes that are diverse and inclusive, and encourage applications from qualified startups with founders of all backgrounds
Key dates
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October, 2024
Program Kick-off
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December, 2024
Graduation
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January, 2025
Demo Day
Meet the Cohort
Frequently asked questions
The Google for Startups Accelerator: AI First program is completely free for all participating startups, and Google does not take any equity. Please note that we do require all founders (CEO & CTO) and appropriate team members to be available to join all elements 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 EMEA startup ecosystem. After the program ends, startups will continue to receive support via the Google for Startups Accelerator Alumni program and network.
The program runs in a hybrid format for MENA-T. The events will take place in the UAE and KSA, with an in-person kick-off in October 2024, followed by virtual training bootcamps, 1:1 mentoring, and experiences, and an in-person demo day and graduation in January 2025.
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).
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.