Google to enroll 15 startups from SEA, Pakistan

KARACHI: Google has announced launching of seventh edition of its Google for Startups Accelerator (GFSA) for Southeast Asia (SEA) and Pakistan, where it will enroll up to 15 seed and series A startups, particularly in fintech, healthtech, retail and ecommerce, and SME-focused B2B solutions.

The three-month program would help startups solve their specific challenges by providing the best of Google resources: Google mentors, a network of new contacts to help them on their journeys, and the most cutting-edge technology, Google said.

Since Google’s first GFSA launch in 2016, it has supported over 90 startups, who have then gone on to raise over $5.4 billion in funding and created more than 1,600 jobs across Southeast Asia and Pakistan.

A notable alumni is DeafTalk from Pakistan, which participated in GFSA 2020 and has provided accessibility solutions for deaf people, including online sign language interpretation, audio-video translation and sign language training.

Through the launch, startups will receive customised mentorship from Google’s global mentor network, access to Google's artificial intelligence, machine learning, cloud, Android, and web experts, as well as training in fields such as product design, business strategy, customer acquisition, and leadership development.

The latest GFSA is open for applications at GFSA to startups headquartered in Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Applications will close on October 7, 2022. Google's philanthropy supports nonprofits that address humanitarian issues and apply scalable, data-driven innovation to solving the world's biggest challenges. It accelerates their progress by connecting them with a unique blend of support that includes funding, products, and technical expertise from Google volunteers. The platform engages with contributors that make a significant impact on the communities they represent, and whose work has the potential to produce meaningful change.