Google invests in new cohort of Black entrepreneurs


The tech behemoth invested another $5 million in Black entrepreneurs, including some that have founded firms in the payments arena

The program for Black founders is separate from Alphabet’s separate 2020 commitment to invest $100 million in Black-led venture capital firms, startups and organizations that support them. Among those capital recipients is Serena Ventures, the venture capital firm founded by tennis champion Serena Williams.

Google said in its blog post that it will announce more participants for its Google for Startups Accelerator: Black Founders this fall. It also will gather its Georgia-based Black Founders Fund recipients, investors and partners in Atlanta to connect with one another later this year, per the company blog post.

The spokesperson couldn’t immediately provide details about the investments made in the prior two cohorts.

“We’ve seen firsthand how this powerful combination of financial support with mentorship, training, mental health coaching and community contributes to helping fuel innovation, wealth generation and equal access to economic opportunity,” Jewel Burks Solomon, head of Google for Startups U.S., and Jeremiah Gordon, general counsel at Alphabet’s growth equity fund CapitalG, wrote in the announcement. “And we will continue to find opportunities to support these incredible Black founders and funders.” 

Google joins other tech giants like PayPal in supporting venture capitalists of color. Last year, that payments pioneer announced plans to invest $50 million into 11 Black and Latinx venture capital funds. The following month, it also deposited $135 million into financial institutions and management funds that serve communities of color.

Google is investing $100 million into companies founded by Black entrepreneurs in the U.S., Brazil, Europe and Africa, but the company won’t take equity in any of the participating startups.

Google’s investment in entrepreneurs of color in the fintech space comes as investments in fintech firms have slowed on the uncertain economic outlook and stock market volatility. A PitchBook analysis released last month reported that the funding raised in Q2 2022 by payment startups dropped 18.7% to $7.59 billion, from $9.34 billion in Q1 2022.


By Tatiana Walk-Morris on Sep 9, 2022
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