Google for Startups plans to double its financial commitment to Fueled Collective's Diverse Founders Fellowship, a program that provides business resources to entrepreneurs from underrepresented communities.
Local coworking company Fueled Collective has been working with Google for Startups since 2013. Since then, the partnership has funded a handful of fellowships for minority entrepreneurs in Minnesota. But this spring, they decided to switch up the format and structure the program as a six-month accelerator cohort instead of individual year-long fellowships.
"We've been incredibly impressed with what the Fueled Collective team has done with the program, and we wanted to double down on these efforts and make the program even more accessible to diverse founders," Genna McKeel, global head of partnerships for Google for Startups, told Minne Inno.
Google for Startups declined to provide specific details about its financial commitment to Fueled Collective, but said that it will double its investment in the program, which will allow the Diverse Founders Fellowship to double the number of entrepreneurs accepted into the program.
"Google for Startups wants to empower Minnesota's underrepresented founders to build great startups that will move us all forward," McKeel said in an email. "There's an incredible amount of potential shown by the current cohort of fellows and we're excited to help take this fellowship to more founders."
Google for Startups provides tools and best practices for entrepreneurs looking to start a business. It also connects founders to communities that can offer early-stage support in the form of mentorship, events, accelerator programs and workspace. Fueled is one of its longest-standing partners in the Google for Startups global network, which today includes more than 50 organizations.
This year, Google and Fueled are focused on "partnering with strong organizations to improve lack of access to capital, and provide connections and resources local diverse founders need to grow their companies." They're focused on backing women, minorities, immigrants, veterans, those with disabilities and LGBTQ-identifying individuals.
Startups accepted into the Diverse Founders Fellowship receive access to Fueled Collective's space, as well as networking and educational resources. They also receive a Google for Startups passport, which allows them to work from any of Google's 50 plus partner spaces.
"Our mission at Google for Startups is to level the playing field for startup founders and communities to succeed," McKeel said. "We're committed to fostering a global startup community that is diverse, inclusive and equitable. This applies to the partners we choose, the founders we support and the startups we help grow."
