Growth Academy:
AI for Cybersecurity

A lady is looking at white board.
Global
3 months

A hybrid program designed to support startups using AI to innovate responsibly in the cybersecurity market. The program will provide startups with the essential growth skills, internationalization strategies, and Google tools and products to help them scale.

A lady is looking at white board.
Global
3 months

The journey continues!

Registrations for our 2025 Growth Academy: AI for Cybersecurity program are open.

Apply now

About the program

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About the program

A three-month program for the most promising startups using AI technology to grow and innovate responsibly in the Cybersecurity space, to provide them with essential growth skills, internationalization strategies, and Google tools and products to help them scale. Selected founders will work with a mix of Google and external industry experts in a series of workshops and will receive mentoring across strategy, sales, and partnerships.

After the initial three months of core content, startups continue to receive product support and mentorship from Google to help them address their challenges.

The kick-off and graduation sessions will be held in person. The locations will be made public in the coming months.

Hear from the most recent cohort

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Watch the video

Key benefits

  • Equity-free support

    3 months of equity-free support.

  • Custom mentoring

    Technical consulting, tailored support, and advice from Google mentors and industry experts.

  • Strategic support

    Support on company and product strategy.

  • Ad-hoc leadership training

    Learn more about effective leadership skills based on knowledge and data shared by Google.

  • Go global

    Support from mentors and Google teams on new international opportunities, to expand your business to new markets.

  • Networking opportunities

    Meet and connect with fellow founders to grow your network, learn from others, and contribute to a bigger community.

Program criteria

Program criteria

  • Seed to Series A startups that are looking to scale internationally.
  • Focused on leveraging AI to address cybersecurity challenges such as prevention, protection, research, and/or threat analysis and sharing.
  • Startups must have demonstrated traction (funding, users, revenue).
  • Startups must have a scalable product or service, with both a significant total addressable market and a defensible growth model.

Key dates

  • October 3, 2024

    Applications open

  • December 3, 2024

    Application deadline

  • December 2024 – February 2025

    Interview process

  • March 2025

    Cohort announcement

  • March 2025

    In-person program kickoff

  • June 2025

    In-person graduation

Sarah Hague Sarah Hague
The Growth Academy program helped us in many ways. The power of being a part of this startup community, sharing and learning from other founders, is a fantastic experience.
Sarah Hague
Co-founder at BlackDice

Second edition cohort

Members of startups discussing among each other.

Interested in learning more about our alumni? Browse our global directory and discover startups across regions and industries.

Learn more
Talking to some of the worldwide leaders in cybersecurity from VirusTotal or Mandiant is very useful. We have access to mentors who have an incredible track record in the industry and such a value can’t be quantified.
Philippe Humeau
Co-founder at CrowdSec

Advisory board

Frequently asked questions

How much time do I have to dedicate to the program?

The program will mostly require 1 to 2 hours of your time per week to attend your mentoring and group sessions. While the sessions with other founders will be accommodated to fit the majority of the participants, you will schedule your individual mentoring sessions with your mentor.

Do I need to travel for the program?

The program is a hybrid program with two in-person moments consisting of two days each. These moments will be mandatory for at least one Co-founder.

Can other team members take part in the program?

The program content is designed for founders. However, for certain specific online sessions, we can discuss if it makes sense to include some C-level team members. Do not hesitate to ask!

Does Google for Startups invest in the company or ask for equity?

No. Google for Startups does not invest in the company through this program, nor request any equity.