Apps
A three month equity-free accelerator program for Android app-based startups in India. The accelerator aims to connect the best of Google's products and people to empower startups to scale their apps towards success.
This program is the 2024 evolution of the Appscale Academy program we ran for the past two years and is supported by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) Startup Hub in India.
About the program
About the program
Google for Startups Accelerator: Apps is a three-month equity-free accelerator program for app-based startups in India.
Founders outline the top technical and growth goals for their app, and get access to tailored mentorship from both Google and industry experts to address challenges and grow their business.
Google for Startups Accelerators also include deep dives and workshops focused on product design, customer acquisition, leadership development for founders and 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.
Entry Criteria
Entry Criteria
- Android app-based startups, ideally between Seed to Series A funded
- 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 CEO, 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
-
-
-
September, 2024
Program Kick-off
-
December, 2024
Graduation
-
December, 2024
Demo Day
Frequently asked questions
No, we do not take any equity or charge a fee. Google for Startups Accelerator: Apps is completely free of charge for all startups. All you need to contribute is your time and energy.
Google for Startups Accelerator: Apps targets app-based startups (preferably Seed to Series A funded) headquartered in India. The startups should be past the "idea stage" with some level of customer validation and market traction with their product.
The accelerator program currently runs as a hybrid program. During the beginning of the program, we work with the startups selected into the accelerator and the anchor mentors to determine each startup’s challenges and support required from the program. Then these startups will go through an intensive 1-week long in-person Bootcamp around topics such as Product, Design, Technology, People & Growth, followed by the OKR (Objective Key Results) workshop to define their objective for the next three months.
The next two months of the program is all about supporting startups executing these objectives by providing access to our global network, 1:1 mentorships and 1:many sessions on demand virtually. The startups will also be paired with a dedicated Startup Success Manager (SSM) from Google to help startups get the best of Google - its people, network, thought leadership, and technology.
The graduated startups will be showcased through an in-person Demo Day with Google teams, mentors, VCs, media and different stakeholders from the Indian startup ecosystem. The engagement with the graduated startups will be continued through the Alumni program and network.
Google for Startups Accelerator: Apps is scheduled to run for three months from September to December 2024. See above for more information on the timeline.
For this cohort, we are looking for Android app-based startups that leverage advanced technologies like AI/ML or data to solve problems in healthcare, education, finance, media and entertainment, gaming, enterprise, and other industries, and that have the potential to scale globally.
We review the completed applications from the startups in parallel to the application phase to check their eligibility for the accelerator program. The eligible applications will be reviewed by a panel of experts/program team and shortlist 40-60 startups for the interview/pitch session to evaluate the team, problem, solution and scalability. Then the shortlisted startups from the interview/pitch phase will be reviewed by the selection board for the final list. The final list of startups will receive the program contract to sign for the official announcement.
Note: All incomplete applications after the application deadline will be ineligible.
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.