Google Opens Applications For 4th Batch Of Startups Accelerator India

Google India, on Monday (February 24), announced that it is accepting applications from startups for the fourth batch of Google for Startups Accelerator India programme. Google India will select and mentor ten early-stage startups and will help them improve their operations through this programme. Google will also help the selected startups to enhance their technology stack, product strategies such as market-fit or features and digital marketing capabilities.

Startups can register for the programme until March 15, 2020, and Google will shortlist the startups by April 2020. After shortlisting the startups, the batch will commence with a week-long mentorship boot camp in Bengaluru in April 2020.

Paul Ravindranath, programme manager of developer relations at Google India, said that the company has now renamed Google Launchpad Accelerator India to Google for Startups Accelerator India.

The programme, which was launched in 2018, has seen Google India work with around 30 startups in three different batches. These startups are leveraging technology to solve problems in areas such as sanitation, healthcare, agritech, fintech, and sustainability.

For this cohort, Google India is inviting applications from India-based startups which are leveraging new-age technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) to solve socio-economic problems of the country. Startups which have raised at least seed funding can submit their applications for this programme.

After getting selected, these startups will undergo a three-month mentorship boot camp where Google will provide tech, marketing, and design workshops. Google will also help them to connect with the company’s tech team and other industry experts. Some of the startups selected in the previous cohorts of Google’s accelerator programme include MultiBhashi, Artivatic, Wysa, IndiaLends, RailYatri among others.

Besides the cohort programme, Google is also working with six research projects to improve the lives of millions of India by leveraging AI. For this programme, Google has collaborated with India-based academic AI researchers, which will, in turn, help the company to better understand the local challenges. Google has also partnered with non-profit organisations for all these six research projects. The company will extend its support by providing its researchers, engineers, and programme managers.

These six projects include — improving health information among high HIV/AIDS risk communities, predicting health risks for expectant mothers, improving consistency of healthcare information input, predicting and preventing human-wildlife conflict, improving the dam and barrage water release, and promoting vernacular content.