Announced earlier in October as part of its Grow Stronger with Google regional programme, ‘Google for Startups Accelerator: MENA’ is a three-month digital accelerator program for Seed to Series A technology startups based in the region. The first cohort will include 10-15 selected MENA-headquartered startups and will run virtually starting January 2021.
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As part of the programme, selected founders will outline the top challenges their startup is facing, and will then be paired with relevant experts from Google and the industry to solve them. Participating startups will also receive mentorship on both technical and business challenges as well as workshops covering machine learning technologies, product design/UX, customer acquisition, and leadership development for founders.
Applicants must be a technology startup based in MENA that has already raised seed funding. Google will consider the problem the tech startup is trying to solve, how it creates value for users and how it addresses a real challenge for their home city, country or the MENA region broadly. Further, Google looks at whether the startup aims to use AI/ML technology in their product, service or operations to help solve current business challenges and successfully scale in the long run.
Commenting on the programme, Salim Abid, Google’s Regional Lead of Developer Ecosystem in MENA, said: “The MENA region is rich in homegrown entrepreneurs which during the pandemic have stepped up to solve for unexpected challenges with innovative technology and resilience. I’m thrilled to announce that the application window for the first ‘Google for Startups Accelerator’ in MENA is now open, and looking forward to working with the next innovators”.
The application window for the first ‘Google for Startups Accelerator’ programme in MENA will remain open until December 31st, 2020. Selected startups will be announced in January 2021.
Previously known as the ‘Google Launchpad Accelerator, the ‘Google for Startups Accelerator’ is designed to bring the best of Google’s programmes, products, people and technology to founder communities in many parts of the world including India, Japan, Canada, the United States, Brazil and others.