Google has selected 30 startups to receive a share of its $2 million Black Founders Fund in Europe, providing these companies with cash, valuable cloud services, and good old-fashioned networking among the Google crew. Last fall, the fund was announced as part of a company-wide effort toward “building a more equitable future for everyone,” alongside grants and new sponsorships. Over 800 companies applied, and Google interviewed 100 of them, winnowing that down to the 30 announced today. Each company will receive “up to” $100,000 in non-dilutive funding, $120,000 in Ads grants, and $100,000 in Cloud credits. (I’ve asked Google for more details on how the fund was divided and if any company received this total amount. I’ll update you if I hear back.)
They’ll also get access to Google’s entrepreneurial network, tech support, and other assets that don’t have complex numbers. Black founders lead all the startups, and 40% by women of color. One of the latter is Nancy de Fays, co-founder of LINE, making these cool battery-hub combos for the MacBook “Pro” that add a ton of ports and battery life and look sweet to boot. I’ve learned a lot chatting with her at trade shows and regret that I do most of my work on a desktop, so I don’t have an excuse to use one of the company’s gadgets. In response to being selected for Google funding, de Fays penned a blog post exhorting corporations to throw their weight around in favor of social change and for startups to lead the way in diversity and equity: It’s a counterpoint to the idea, also commonly expressed these days, that companies should be mission-focused and objective. Here are the other 29 companies that Google will be giving a boost to (descriptions taken from the blog post):
- Afrocenchix – Afrocenchix formulates, manufactures, and sells safe, effective products for afro and curly hair.
- AudioMob – AudioMob provides non-intrusive audio ads within mobile games.
- Augmize – Augmize builds risk models for property and casualty insurers using interpretable machine learning.
- Axela Innovation – Axela Innovations created an intelligent platform that joins care services and puts the person receiving care at the center of the process.
- Bosque is Europe’s first tech-enabled, direct-to-consumer plant brand with digitized inventory, AR tech, and on-demand access to vetted plant experts.
- Circuit Mind Limited – Circuit Mind is building intelligent software that fully automates the design of electronic circuit systems.
- Clustdoc – Clustdoc is client onboarding automation software organizations and teams use worldwide.
- Contingent – Contingent is an AI platform that proactively predicts, monitors and manages supplier risk.
- Define – Define is a legal technology company that optimizes lawyers’ contract drafting and reviewing process, serving the world’s largest banks and consulting companies.
- Freyda – Freyda is digitizing the asset management industry by helping funds and service providers become hyper-efficient in approaching their data capture from documents.
- Helix Technologies – Hex Technologies provides AI-powered software and web services to development teams in data-intensive fields such as autonomous driving.
- HomeHero – HomeHero is an operating system for the house, making running a home simple and easy.
- Hutch Logistics – Hutch Logistics is a fulfillment and operating system for e-commerce brands.
- I Know – know is an end-to-end building and renovation platform for property owners and tradespeople.
- Kami empowers parents during family planning, pregnancy, and childhood, allowing them to adapt and thrive through even the most difficult transitions.
- Kwara – Kwara makes building wealth together frictionless by turning analog credit unions in emerging markets into modern digital banks.
- Lalaland – Lalaland uses AI to create synthetic humans for fashion eCommerce brands to increase diversity in retail.
- Modularity Grid – Modularity Grid is an AI platform that makes energy systems more efficient and resilient.
- Movemeback – Movemeback (often referred to as “the Linkedin of Africa”) is a global social, professional platform that connects people to opportunities, insights, and people they don’t have access to.
- Playbrush – Playbrush is the innovation leader in oral care, growing smart toothbrush subscriptions to foster better mouth and body health.
- Remote Coach – Remote Coach is a platform providing technology for personal trainers and fitness influencers to digitize and grow their businesses.
- Robin AI – Robin AI uses a combination of human and artificial intelligence to read and edit contracts.
- Scoodle – Scoodle is a platform for education influencers. Everyone has something they want to learn and something they can teach—we bring both sides together.
- Suvera – Suvera delivers a virtual care clinic for patients with long-term conditions in the UK.
- Syrona Health – Syrona is a digital health company providing tracking, treatment, and management solutions for people with chronic gynecological conditions.
- Tradein – Tradein is a real-time scoring and prediction of business payment behavior and solvency.
- Vanilla Steel – Vanilla Steel offers a digital auction platform for excess steel, providing sellers with a simple inventory management process for extra material.
- Wild Radish – Wild Radish enables people who love food and cooking to enjoy Michelin-quality, unique cooking and dining experiences at home.
- Xtramile – Xtramile is a data-driven platform that delivers the right job to the right candidate anywhere online.
It feels like we’ll be hearing from most of these folks again. You can find out more about Google’s startup programs here.
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