AI First
North America - Hybrid
10 weeks
Seed to Series A
Started by you. Accelerated with Google.
A 10-week accelerator program for high potential AI-First technology startups based in the U.S. and Canada.
North America - Hybrid
10 weeks
Seed to Series A
About the program
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
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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.
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Founder Network
Connect and learn from fellow founders, and access a peer-to-peer support network.
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 and leveraging machine learning and/or AI
- Commitment from 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
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April, 2024
Program Kick-off
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June, 2024
Demo Day
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June, 2024
Graduation
Accelerator Alumni
Frequently asked questions
Google for Startups Accelerator: AI First ran from April to June 2024. We expect to host more similar accelerator programs in the future. When that happens we will update the Accelerators page here.
The accelerator runs for a period of 10-weeks with a mix of remote and in-person, 1-to-1, group learning sessions, sprint projects and mentorship. As part of the Google for Startups Accelerator, selected founders outline the top technical and business challenges facing their startup, and are then paired with relevant experts from Google to help solve those challenges. Participating startups receive deep mentorship on technical challenges with an emphasis on data, ML, AI, as well as connections to relevant teams from across Google. Additionally, curriculum will cover Cloud and tech, UX and Product, Growth & Sales, Leadership and setting OKRs.
The program concludes with a Demo Day where each team will be able to pitch to potential partners, customers and investors. Learn more here.
The accelerator program is best suited for AI/ML-focused Seed to Series A revenue generating tech startups that are headquartered in the United States and Canada. Selected companies should have a minimum of 5+ employees and the founder and appropriate team members must be available to join all program elements of their cohort. In order to ensure Google can provide meaningful value, startups should be building AI/ML technology in their product, service or operations.
While this program is specifically for startups based in the U.S. and Canada, we will be announcing other regions for AI-First programs in 2024. Additionally, you can find a full list of all programs offered around the world here.
At the end of the program, startups will take part in closing celebrations and Demo Day. Founders will also have the opportunity to share their startup/products with cohort-mates, Google senior leaders, members of our investor mentor network, and other teams around Alphabet. It is mandatory for each startup to participate in Demo Day and respond to audience questions. For inspiration from a previous cohort, you can check our a recent Cloud Demo Day and watch Demo Day highlights.
We like to support the ongoing journey of our accelerator alumni. Upon graduation, founders will join our North American Accelerator Alumni Community with continued access to Google experts and programming.
Additionally, a big part of our accelerator programming focuses on helping founders build impactful networks, so Google mentors often continue cultivating relationships with participants after the formal accelerator program wraps. We also tap into alumni for speaking opportunities at Google or otherwise and have also asked them to return the favour and become mentors themselves.
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.