Google for Startups Black Founders Fund

Unlocking non-dilutive capital for Black-led startups

Google for Startups launched the Black Founders Fund to address persistent funding gaps faced by Black entrepreneurs. The program provides $150,000 in equity-free cash, up to $100,000 in Google Cloud credits, mentorship from Google experts, and access to partner perks including HubSpot, Stripe, and LinkedIn. Since 2020, the fund has supported more than 500 startups across the United States, Canada, Europe, and Latin America, channeling over $45 million in non-dilutive capital. Portfolio companies span fintech, healthtech, climate, enterprise SaaS, consumer, and deep tech verticals.

Unlike traditional accelerators, the Black Founders Fund does not require cohort residency or equity exchange. Instead, it pairs founders with dedicated success managers and subject matter experts who tailor support around customer acquisition, product strategy, technical infrastructure, and fundraising. Recipients also join a global community of peers who collaborate on partnerships, investor introductions, and media amplification.

Program essentials

Eligibility snapshot

• At least one Black founder holding a C-level role and significant equity.
• Startup headquartered in eligible regions (U.S., Canada, Europe, Latin America) with the ability to receive U.S. funds.
• Live product or MVP with measurable traction (users, revenue, pilots, IP).
• Company raised less than $5M in dilutive funding (threshold varies by region).
• Commitment to engage in Google-led programming and share progress metrics.

Application roadmap

1. Readiness assessment (March–April 2025) – Evaluate traction, financials, and team composition. Update pitch deck and data room.
2. Portal launch (April 15, 2025) – Complete company profile, founder demographics, market overview, traction metrics, and funding history. Upload pitch deck and optional product demo video.
3. Narrative responses – Describe problem, solution, customer acquisition, business model, and impact. Highlight why non-dilutive capital will accelerate milestones.
4. Recommendation letters (optional but valuable) – Secure endorsements from investors, customers, or ecosystem leaders who can attest to your traction and mission.
5. Submit by June 15 – Applications accepted until 11:59 p.m. PDT. Late submissions not considered.
6. Interviews (July–August) – Shortlisted founders join virtual interviews with Google program managers and partner investors. Prepare to demo product, discuss KPIs, and explain growth plans.
7. Selection (September) – Awardees sign grant agreements, onboard to Google Cloud benefits, and join kickoff summit.

Storytelling tips

• Quantify traction – Provide revenue run rates, customer counts, retention, or pipeline value. Use charts to show momentum.
• Articulate competitive moat – Explain how proprietary data, technology, or community enables defensibility.
• Show mission alignment – Connect your startup’s impact to Google’s priorities (AI for everyone, climate solutions, inclusive digital economy).
• Highlight team excellence – Showcase domain expertise, past exits, academic credentials, or lived experience that fuels insight.
• Explain fund utilization – Detail how the $150K will be spent (hiring, marketing, compliance, product roadmap) and expected outcomes.

Maximizing program benefits

• Mentorship pods – Work with Google engineers, product managers, and go-to-market specialists. Prepare agendas and KPIs for each session.
• Cloud architecture reviews – Optimize infrastructure for scalability. Use credits strategically for experimentation and performance testing.
• Growth labs – Participate in Google Ads workshops, YouTube brand labs, and Play Store optimization sessions to accelerate customer acquisition.
• Media amplification – Collaborate with Google PR for press releases, blog features, and social storytelling to attract investors and customers.
• Community forums – Engage in Slack channels, mastermind groups, and regional meetups. Share wins and challenges to tap peer expertise.

Preparing for scale

• Data room readiness – Maintain financial statements, cap table, customer contracts, and security policies. Google may request documents for compliance.
• Impact measurement – Track metrics aligned with your mission (jobs created, underserved users reached, carbon avoided). Share quarterly updates.
• Fundraising strategy – Use the grant as a catalyst for raising pre-seed or seed rounds. Leverage introductions to Google Ventures, Gradient Ventures, and partner investors.
• Talent pipeline – Recruit via Google’s partner platforms. Highlight Black Founders Fund affiliation on job postings to attract mission-aligned talent.

Tips from portfolio founders

1. Be authentic. Share the founder journey and community impact alongside metrics.
2. Communicate consistently. Provide monthly updates to Google mentors, investors, and peers to stay top-of-mind for opportunities.
3. Leverage product support. Use Google UX research sprints and technical office hours to refine user experience and stability.
4. Stack grants. Pair the fund with regional incentives (e.g., Amazon AWS credits, SoftBank Opportunity Fund, local innovation vouchers).
5. Give back. Mentor aspiring founders through Google’s startup communities and speak at accelerator events.

Long-term alumni value

Alumni maintain access to Google’s partner ecosystem, invitation-only demo showcases, and continuing education sessions on AI, security, and go-to-market. Many founders join the Google for Startups Advisor Collective, mentoring future cohorts and shaping program evolution. The fund also spotlights alumni during major Google events (I/O, Cloud Next), providing visibility to global audiences.

Final takeaways

The Google for Startups Black Founders Fund offers catalytic non-dilutive capital paired with deep technical and go-to-market expertise. By presenting a data-driven application, engaging fully in mentorship, and contributing to the community, Black founders can leverage the program to accelerate growth, de-risk fundraising, and amplify their company’s impact.

Evaluation rubric

Selection committees score applications across four dimensions:

1. Product and technology – Stability of the platform, technical differentiation, and scalability on Google Cloud.
2. Traction and growth – Revenue trends, user engagement, strategic partnerships, or pilot outcomes.
3. Leadership and team – Founder experience, advisory board strength, and operational capacity to deploy capital efficiently.
4. Impact and vision – Potential to address systemic inequities, create jobs, or introduce inclusive technology solutions.

Understanding this rubric helps tailor your application. Provide concise metrics in each category—monthly recurring revenue, churn, Net Promoter Score, headcount, or social impact indicators.

Sample implementation roadmap

Founders often structure the $150K grant around a six-month plan:

• Months 1–2: Hire critical roles (e.g., senior engineer, growth marketer) and finalize product roadmap.
• Months 3–4: Launch targeted customer acquisition campaigns leveraging Google Ads and YouTube; measure CAC payback and optimize landing pages with Google Optimize.
• Months 5–6: Expand sales pipeline through partnership outreach and conference appearances; prepare investor updates and case studies.

Documenting a timeline shows reviewers that you will deploy capital responsibly and hit measurable milestones.

Compliance and reporting

Recipients submit quarterly updates summarizing:

• Revenue, user, or impact metrics.
• How grant funds and credits were used.
• Highlights, challenges, and resource requests.
• Upcoming goals and support needed from Google mentors.

Timely reporting keeps you eligible for future Google programs and alumni opportunities. Maintain dashboards in tools like Looker Studio to streamline reporting.