Google selects first cohort of Launchpad Accelerator in Brazil
Google has selected the first cohort for the Brazilian version of its Launchpad Accelerator scheme.
The global acceleration initiative introduced five years ago includes a few months of technical support and training, equity-free financing to startups and a couple of weeks at Google's offices.
To support entrepreneurial ecosystems in important markets for Google, the company started launching local versions of the Launchpad Accelerator. To add to Tel Aviv in Isreal and Lagos in Nigeria, the Brazilian city of São Paulo is the latest addition to the list and six startups have been selected for the program.
According to Google, the selected startups will undergo a three-month program at the company's Campus São Paulo to implement the web giant's technologies in their products. This will include artificial intelligence, machine learning, cloud, Android and Progressive Web Apps.
The first cohort of Brazilian startups to be accelerated locally includes Contentools, a company developing a platform aimed at marketing teams that provides content planning, creation, distribution and analysis capabilities and Docket, who uses AI and ML to reduce bureaucracy in document management at companies.
Other selected ventures are JetBov, a firm developing a cloud-based application for management of meat production for small and medium farmers; Liv Up, a company using AI, ML and cloud to offer healthy meal options to its target audience and Mandaê, a company using technologies such as machine learning to support its logistics offering.
Over the last few years, the company has worked with 27 Brazilian startups including Nubank, one of the local fintechs that is said to be valued at over $1 billion.