Google launches accelerator for circular economy start-ups in Asia-Pacific and North America

Google announced the first Google for Startups Accelerator: Circular Economy for start-ups and non-profit organisations in Asia-Pacific and North America on October 4 as environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues and climate change take centre stage globally.

Google plans to onboard 10-15 start-ups and non-profit organisations in the first cohort, for which the application process has started now and will continue till November 14. The technology giant will be targeting start-ups where it can add value through its expertise in areas such as machine learning, artificial intelligence, and geospatial technologies.

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“We will select organisations that use technology to solve circularity challenges including reuse, refill, recycling, composting, fashion, food, safe and circular materials, and the built environment,” the company said.

The three month programme will be virtual, offering mentoring and technical support from Google engineers and external experts through a mix of 1-to-1 and 1-to-many learning sessions.

The start-ups need to be creating solutions around green energy, waste recycling, and climate change solutions, etc. Circular economy stands for the idea of recycling, sharing, repairing, reusing and leasing resources.

“Every year, humanity consumes far more than what the planet can naturally replenish. In 2022, global demand for resources is projected to be 1.75 times what the earth’s ecosystems can regenerate in a year. And most of the resources that we extract and use eventually become waste — adding to the more than two billion tonnes of solid waste created each year,” Thye Yeow Bok, head of startup ecosystem, SEA, SAF and Greater China, Google, said.

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The spokesperson added, “Asia-Pacific (APAC) is a good starting point to innovate and create circular economy solutions. It is the world's most vulnerable region to climate change’s impact. Ninety percent of all river-borne plastic in the ocean comes from just 10 rivers, eight of which are in APAC. And by 2040, Asia is expected to drive 40 percent of the world’s consumption.”

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In India, earlier this year, Google had launched an accelerator targeting women founders and the Start-up School.