Google is inviting Series A technology startups located in the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region to apply for its three-month accelerator programme, Google for Startups Accelerator: MENA.
The programme was launched in early October as part of the Grow Stronger with Google regional program. The Google for Startups Accelerator: MENA application period will remain open until December 31, 2020.
The program will commence virtually from January 2021 to bring the best of Google’s programs, products, people, and technology to founder communities across the globe,
According to Entrepreneur, a selected set of 10 to 15 MENA-headquartered startups will take part by founders being invited to summarize the main challenges faced by their firms. They will then be paired up with experts from Google and the industry to which the firm belongs to help solve the discussed issues. The founders of the selected startups will also be provided with mentorship on technical and business challenges, as well as workshops on machine learning technology, product design/UX, customer acquisition, and leadership development.
Interested technology startups must be headquartered in the MENA region and must have already raised seed funding to apply. Google’s criteria for selection will also include the nature of the underlying problem the startup is attempting to solve, the value created for the end-users, and whether the firm addresses a genuine issue in their home city, country, or the MENA region as a whole. Also, the usage of AI/ML technology will also play a role in the selection of a given product/service/operation.
Salim Abid, Google’s Regional Lead of Developer Ecosystem for 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 looking forward to working with the next innovators.”
Interested applicants can find more information here: https://events.withgoogle.com/gfs-accelerator-mena/
