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On July 13, Google announced 46 U.S. recipients of this year’s Google for Startups Black and Latino Founders Funds.

Beyond $150,000 in equity-free cash to help fuel their business, participants in our Founders Fund program receive sales and fundraising training, technical support from Google mentors, up to $100,000 in Google Cloud credits, mental health coaching from a team of Black and Latino therapists, and inclusion into a proactive community of connectors.

Mariza Hardin’s startup, Zócalo Health, is an AI-powered telemedicine app to help increase access to affordable healthcare for the Latino community in the U.S. 

Erik Cardenas and Mariza Hardin, Founders of Zócalo Health

Mariza joins founders like Carlos Gaitan of Benchmark Labs, a startup using Google’s AI tools to help farmers better predict weather patterns to improve their crop yields; Erika Hairston of EdLyft, a platform that prepares college students for careers in computer science; and Zara Perumal of Overwatch Data, a cybersecurity startup that protects companies by detecting and analyzing business risks. 

The Google for Startups Founders Fund community continues to grow around the world. Last month, Google welcomed their newest Black Founders Fund recipients in Africa, Europe and Brazil. 

In 2020, the first fund was utilized to help Black tech entrepreneurs overcome the disproportionate hurdles they face when raising capital,” said Lisa Gevelber, VP of Google for Startups. 

“Over the past three years, we’ve significantly expanded the scope of our work, expanding our Black Founders Fund to Europe, Africa and Brazil, and to Latino founders in the US”, said Gevelber. “We’ve now provided $45M in cash awards and to 547 promising entrepreneurs through our Black and Latino Founders Funds. We are excited to welcome a new group of diverse founders who are using technology to solve some of society’s biggest problems.”

Google Black Founders Fund provides cash awards without sacrificing equity in return

Google for Startups Black Founders Fund: United States provides cash awards — without giving up equity in return — and hands-on support to help Black-led startups in the U.S. build and grow their businesses.

Established in 2020, the Google for Startups Black Founders Fund helps Black-led startups in Africa, Brazil, Europe, and the United States secure funding, strengthen communities, and create generational change.

In addition to equity-free cash awards, Black Founders Fund recipients receive ongoing Google mentorship, Google Cloud credits, and product support to help them navigate every stage of their startup journey.

Black Founders Fund recipients from Europe and Africa at London Tech Week.

Find out more information about Google’s recipients here and more on the Black Founders & Latino Fund here.

Hailing from Charlotte North Carolina, born litterateur Ezekiel J. Walker earned a B.A. in Psychology at Winston Salem State University. Walker later published his first creative nonfiction book and has...