Google for Startups (formerly known as ''Google for Entrepreneurs'') is a startup program launched by
Google
Google LLC () is an American Multinational corporation, multinational technology company focusing on Search Engine, search engine technology, online advertising, cloud computing, software, computer software, quantum computing, e-commerce, ar ...
in 2011. It consists of over 50 co-working spaces and accelerators in 125 countries, and provides hands-on lessons for aspiring entrepreneurs.
It partners with local startup communities as well as a network of co-working spaces popularly known as ''Google Campus'' (not to be confused with
Googleplex) for tech startup entrepreneurs. It offers access to Google's devices as well as tools and workshops for the local tech community. Google has claimed that the startups in its Campuses have raised over $250 million and created more than 4600 new jobs.
History
In March 2012, Campus London was first launched in
East London, followed by Campus
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv-Yafo ( he, תֵּל־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ, translit=Tēl-ʾĀvīv-Yāfō ; ar, تَلّ أَبِيب – يَافَا, translit=Tall ʾAbīb-Yāfā, links=no), often referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the ...
later in December 2012. The first Asian Campus was opened in
Seoul
Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) as stated iArticle 103 of ...
,
South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its eas ...
in 2015. The first South American Campus was subsequently launched in 2016 in
Sāo Paulo,
Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
.
Events held in the various Campuses differ by location, including language used in these events. Entrepreneurs or companies can apply to host these events, and they include workshops and conferences on tech topics such as
blockchain,
Internet of Things,
fintech
Fintech, a portmanteau of "financial technology", refers to firms using new technology to compete with traditional financial methods in the delivery of financial services. Artificial intelligence, blockchain, cloud computing, and big data are r ...
,
machine learning
Machine learning (ML) is a field of inquiry devoted to understanding and building methods that 'learn', that is, methods that leverage data to improve performance on some set of tasks. It is seen as a part of artificial intelligence.
Machine ...
, and
cloud computing
Cloud computing is the on-demand availability of computer system resources, especially data storage ( cloud storage) and computing power, without direct active management by the user. Large clouds often have functions distributed over mu ...
as well as other important practical skills for entrepreneurs such as
digital marketing
Digital marketing is the component of marketing that uses the Internet and online based digital technologies such as desktop computers, mobile phones and other digital media and platforms to promote products and services. Its development d ...
,
product management
Product management is the business process of planning, developing, launching, and managing a product or service. It includes the entire lifecycle of a product, from ideation to development to go to market. Product managers are responsible for ...
, and
intellectual rights
Intellectual property (IP) is a category of property that includes intangible creations of the human intellect. There are many types of intellectual property, and some countries recognize more than others. The best-known types are patents, ...
. Other events include
hackathons as well as startup residency programs for entrepreneurs and even free yoga and
mindfulness sessions for entrepreneurs.
From time to time, Google employees are deployed to conduct workshops (such as sales training, technical discussions, pioneering philosophical thought experiments) as well as conferences with Google-related products and platforms such as the
Google Cloud Platform.
In October 2018, Google for Entrepreneurs was renamed as Google for Startups.
Locations
As of 2019, its Campuses are located in 7 different cities spanning across Europe, Asia, and South America:
*Campus London
*Campus Tel Aviv
*Campus Madrid
*Campus Seoul
*Campus Warsaw
*Campus Sāo Paulo
*Campus Tokyo
Campus Berlin
In 2017, another Campus location was planned to be launched in the neighborhood of
Kreuzberg
Kreuzberg () is a district of Berlin, Germany. It is part of the Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg borough located south of Mitte. During the Cold War era, it was one of the poorest areas of West Berlin, but since German reunification in 1990 it ha ...
in
Berlin, Germany. This led to concerns from local residents on the
gentrification
Gentrification is the process of changing the character of a neighborhood through the influx of more affluent residents and businesses. It is a common and controversial topic in urban politics and planning. Gentrification often increases the ec ...
of the area. This issue has further escalated in September 2018 when protestors from Berlin-based "
occupy" group temporarily occupied the building site and where at least six people were arrested according to eyewitness reports.
Some have criticized that Campus has led to too many light app startups instead of truly
disruptive ones. Other criticisms include Google utilizing its Campuses for its marketing purposes rather than truly developing the startup community.
In October 2018, Google dropped plans to open its Berlin campus after pressure by local campaigners and stated that the site would now belong to two local charities.
References
External links
*
Google Campus
{{Google LLC
Business incubators
startups
A startup or start-up is a company or project undertaken by an entrepreneur to seek, develop, and validate a scalable business model. While entrepreneurship refers to all new businesses, including self-employment and businesses that never intend t ...
Information technology organisations based in the United Kingdom
Information technology places
Kings Cross, London
Organisations based in the London Borough of Islington