Google launches AI startup fund offering access to new models and tools

Google launches AI startup fund offering access to new models and tools


Sundar Pichai, C.E.O. of Google and Alphabet, speaks during the New York Times annual DealBook summit at Jazz at Lincoln Center on December 04, 2024 in New York City. 

Michael M. Santiago | Getty Images

Google will begin a new fund aimed at investing in artificial intelligence startups, the company announced Monday.

Through a fund it calls the “AI Futures Fund,” eligible startups will get Google investment, early access to AI models, and hands-on support from Google researchers, engineers and go-to-market specialists, the company said in a blog post on Monday. They will also get credits to use on Google Cloud.

“Select startups get the opportunity to seek direct investment from Google to fuel growth and scale AI development,” the blog post states.

The fund comes as the company tries to get more exposure to the latest AI companies and trends. It also comes as hot AI startups seek alternate funding as the IPO market remains mostly dry amid economic woes.

Amazon and Microsoft, OpenAI’s principal investor, are backing generative AI startups with hefty investments as well as developing their own technologies.

Earlier this year, Google invested more than $1 billion in generative AI startup Anthropic, which builds on Google’s past investments of $2 billion in Anthropic and 10% ownership stake in the startup, as well as a large cloud contract between the two companies.

The fund will support founders with Gemini models, according to the application page.

“We work closely with ambitious startups across all stages to quickly enable groundbreaking 0-to-1 products and features, providing early access to Google’s advanced AI models, expertise, and potential funding to bring audacious AI ideas to life,” the fund’s mission reads.



Source

Canada Goose rises 7% in premarket trading after controlling shareholder gets take-private bids
World

Canada Goose rises 7% in premarket trading after controlling shareholder gets take-private bids

New York-listed shares of Canada Goose rose by nearly 7% in premarketing trading, after a CNBC report that the winter-clothing maker’s controlling shareholder, Bain Capital, has received bids to take the company private. Private equity firm Bain Capital is looking to offload its holding in Canada Goose, sources told CNBC’s Anniek Bao, with Goldman Sachs […]

Read More
European stocks rebound as traders eye Nvidia earnings
World

European stocks rebound as traders eye Nvidia earnings

European markets opened higher Wednesday as traders gear up for a quarterly earnings report from chipmaker Nvidia. The Nasdaq-listed stock has become a bellwether for the global technology sector, particularly regarding the progress of the artificial intelligence boom, as its major corporate customers include Microsoft, Google, Meta and Amazon. Its value has soared in recent […]

Read More
SpaceX makes comeback with Starship test launch after fiery setbacks
World

SpaceX makes comeback with Starship test launch after fiery setbacks

SpaceX’s Starship rocket lifts off from Starbase, Texas, as seen from South Padre Island on Aug. 26, 2025, for its 10th test flight. Ronaldo Schemidt | Afp | Getty Images SpaceX on Tuesday launched its mammoth Starship rocket, breaking a string of explosive failed attempts earlier this year to deploy its first batch of dummy […]

Read More