Google is launching an initiative called “Google for Startups: AI Academy,” a new program aimed at backing early-stage startups building with AI across healthcare, education, finance, cybersecurity, and more.

This isn’t just another accelerator—it’s a way for Google to quietly shape the next wave of AI businesses before they ever reach scale.

At its core, the initiative combines mentorship from Googlers and DeepMind researchers with cloud credits and funding, including non-dilutive capital and potential investment from Google’s own venture arms like Gradient Ventures and GV.

The idea is to give founders more than just compute—they’re getting embedded into the Google ecosystem at a moment when AI infrastructure decisions can define a company’s trajectory.

The program kicks off in London with a 12-week in-person cohort focused on European startups, but the model is global and could expand quickly.

Google says it’s looking for “founder-led companies using AI to solve real-world problems”—which reads less like a pitch deck phrase and more like a signal that they’re chasing practical, monetizable use cases.

Think applied AI, not just big models with flashy demos.

This all comes as Google Cloud ramps up efforts to challenge AWS and Microsoft Azure in the enterprise AI race.

Giving startups early access to its tools (and, indirectly, its loyalty pipeline) is a smart long game.

And when paired with Google DeepMind’s growing portfolio of research and Gemini’s momentum, it’s clear Google isn’t just watching the AI gold rush—it wants to control the shovel supply.

Founders accepted into the program will also be plugged into Google’s partner network and receive guidance on topics like scaling responsibly, infrastructure costs, and building with Google’s AI stack—including things like Vertex AI and Gemini APIs.

So, is this a support system or a strategic onboarding funnel? Maybe both.

But either way, if you’re an AI founder trying to stand out, Google’s door just opened a little wider.