Google has announced that it will be expanding its underrepresented founder accelerators by introducing the Google for Startups Accelerator: Black Founders program in North America.
The Black Founders Accelerator will consist of a 10-week digital accelerator program for “high potential Seed to Series A tech startups” with headquarters in North America.
Through the program, black founder startups across North America will gain access to Google’s resources with the aim to help participants reach their goals.
The addition of support for Black Founders comes 1 year after the successful launch of Google’s Women Founders accelerator, which accepted five Canadian startups after being announced on July 2nd of 2020.
Ashley Francisco, head of Google Canada’s startup developer ecosystem, referred to the program’s by stating:
“Founders from diverse communities remain underrepresented in the tech startup ecosystem because they often lack the resources required to launch their business. But the COVID-19 pandemic has amplified structural barriers and disproportionately impacted underrepresented groups.”
With most startups already facing an uphill battle when it comes to receiving funding, Google expects to facilitate the process for black and women founders by providing a tailored program. This program includes mentorship, technical project support, workshops, and access to exclusive boot camps.
Participants will also participate in panels with a selected group of speakers that will provide technical and nontechnical programming “through the lens of their communities.”
Applications for the first year of Google for Startups Accelerator: Black Founders will be open until July 9, while applications for women-led startups will close on July 19th. A total of 10 to 12 companies will be chosen in each cohort, with the program being expected to kick off in August of 2021.
When Google’s Women Founders accelerator program launched back in 2020, the company had stated its intention to continue to introduce new accelerator programs to create more opportunities for startups to scale at home.
While no announcement was made this time, it is likely that the company will continue to expand its programs in the future, and support founders that may not be getting the help they need.
