On June 23, Google announced the launch of a 12-week incubation program for AI startups founded by former Google and DeepMind employees, supported by the Google AI Futures Fund. According to Bloomberg, selected startups can receive up to $350,000 in Google Cloud and AI service credits, along with $100,000 in cash funding. The organizers expect to initially accept 10 to 20 startups. The program uses an equity-free structure — Google does not require equity in exchange, unlike traditional venture accelerator models. Nearly 200 former DeepMind employees have already founded or joined external AI startups, making them the program’s primary potential participant pool.
This incubation initiative reflects Google’s differentiated strategy in the AI ecosystem race: Microsoft is deeply tied to OpenAI, Amazon is betting on Anthropic, Meta is pursuing an open-source path, while Google is choosing to cultivate a distributed network of AI startups built on Google Cloud infrastructure — positioning itself for the AI era through a platform ecosystem rather than controlling single points of equity. For external early-stage investors, startups selected for this program have not yet given up equity and have passed a competitive screening process, offering a certain signaling value.