Now in its fifth year, Google for Startups Founders Fund is funding 20 Black and Latinx AI companies in the US.
The fund was initially launched as part of Google’s $175 million commitment to racial equality, and has since distributed more than $50 million to more than 570 Black and Latinx founders around the world.
Google For Startups Founders Fund and AI
As AI development continues, Google has provided funding to 20 US companies this year that are pushing the boundaries of AI.
These companies range from developing solutions to prevent wildfires, to diverting millions of tons of fast fashion from landfills, to helping millions of community college learners successfully complete their four-year degrees.
Each startup will receive a non-dilutive cash award of $150,000, $100,000 in Google Cloud credits, and hands-on mentorship from Google experts in a range of areas, including AI and sales, to help them build and scale their companies.
Introducing 2024 Founders Fund startups from the US
Akeptus (Glenwood, Md.) offers smart home energy management systems that help homeowners optimize energy use and reduce costs.
Beta Financial Services (Chicago, Illinois) is eliminating bias in financial services through tools such as BetaScore, a proprietary credit model designed to help small businesses obtain loans.
Bountiful (San Francisco, CA) empowers farmers and food industry professionals by providing forecasts and key insights for specialty crops.
Cambio AI (New York, NY) provides software that helps commercial landlords and corporate tenants reach net-zero targets by decarbonizing commercial properties.
EdVisorly (Los Angeles, California) helps community college students research and apply to public and private universities.
Elis (Pound Ridge, NY) helps product and marketing teams efficiently gather rich insights from customers through interviews.
HacWare (Frisco, Texas) helps businesses combat phishing attacks through experiential learning.
Hire Henry (St. Louis, Missouri) is developing an industrial robotic lawnmower for large green spaces.
Hue (Boston, Massachusetts) helps brands collect and integrate authentic customer testimonials into their marketing channels.
Improving Aviation (Tampa, Fla.) provides AI and emerging vehicle technologies to enhance public safety, aviation, and wildfire management operations.
InOrbit, Inc. (Mountain View, Calif.) helps developers and operators virtually manage and scale robot fleets.
JustAir (Detroit, MI) provides health and environmental insights to community leaders through its air quality monitoring network.
Maverick (San Francisco, CA) helps e-commerce stores create personalized customer experiences using generative AI.
Pagedip (Boulder, Colorado) is a no-code content publishing app that helps teams work more effectively and efficiently.
Raincoat (San Juan, Puerto Rico) provides automated, scalable climate insurance tools to governments, financial institutions and insurance companies.
Sensagrate (Scottsdale, Arizona) aims to reduce traffic volume and traffic-related fatalities using cutting-edge computer vision and AI solutions.
Sortile (New York, NY) is a waste management system that uses AI to identify, sort and track textile products.
TackleAI (Schaumburg, Illinois) transforms unstructured documents and datasets into understandable, immediately accessible data.
Trustible (Arlington, VA) helps companies uncover hidden AI risks, identify compliance requirements, and accelerate responsible AI development.
Waterplan (San Francisco, CA) is a water sustainability platform that helps organizations collect, report, and address water-related risks.
Image credit: Robin Buckson, The Detroit News
