HYDERABAD: Expanding its support to facilitate startups through the challenges posed by COVID-19 on life and business, Google for Startups (GFS) on Wednesday opened applications for the new batch of Google for Startups Accelerator.
The search engine company is inviting startups who are working on solutions oriented towards the new normal, with a special focus on health-tech, fintech, edutech, agri-tech, retail and SaaS startups.
GFS Accelerator focuses on mentoring early stage startups which are solving for systemic problems such as healthcare, financial inclusion, sustainability and so on, through the use of AI/ML technology to power their solutions. In addition to the call for applications, it launched Emerging stronger: Playbook for startups to face the COVID-19 challenge.
The playbook, an ecosystemwide effort with contributions from startups, mentors and VC firms like Prime Venture Partners, Blume Ventures, Matrix Partners, is a compilation of strategic frameworks as well as practical advice for startups to make sense of and thrive in the changed landscape, in the wake of the pandemic.
Paul Ravindranath G, Program Manager, said, "The pandemic has fundamentally changed the landscape, and startups in particular are deeply impacted since they operate with lean teams and resources, and far less cushion than a scaled enterprise. We have been working very closely with over 250 startups founders over the last two months, holding consults with our network of experts, mentors and VCs to help solve for the immediate challenges faced by the founder community. We have captured the work of these last two months into a playbook which we hope will benefit the larger ecosystem."
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The guide offers strategic and practical advice covering the topics such as: Thinking strategically about
your startup’s future; Managing burn - Identifying new sources of revenue; Managing teams and
productivity while WFH, How to help contribute to the fight against COVID-19 and case studies of startups that have successfully adapted to the new realities