Google names another 25 Ukrainian startups as Google for Startups Ukraine Support Fund recipients

MOSCOW. Dec 2 (Interfax) - The Google company has selected another 25 recipients of Google for Startups Ukraine Support Fund grants. They will be provided with equity-free cash awards, access to Google's mentoring support program, product support, and loans in Google Cloud.

"While this is the final batch of recipients for non-dilutive funding through the Ukraine Support Fund, Google for Startups will continue to provide all 58 startups with mentoring sessions, product support, and bring them together next spring to present their achievements in front of international investors, partners and the local startup community. Additionally, programs such as Growth Academy: Cybersecurity and Founders Academy are available to applicants from Ukraine," Ukrainian media quoted a statement published on the Google blog in Ukraine on Thursday.

Ukrainian startups tripled in combined enterprise value in 2022, growing from 3 billion euros to 23.3 billion euros in just three years, Google said.

The 33 recipients from the first and second groups of the Google for Startups Ukraine Support Fund have used the funding and support to expand their businesses and make a tangible impact.

"Startups like Releaf Paper and VanOnGo expanded to new countries; mental health app Mindly grew its monthly revenue by over 300%; and Esper Bionics was selected as one of the top 200 inventions of 2022 by TIME (with Esper Hand on the cover!). We hope that this support will help this newest group of Ukrainian startups make similar strides," Google said in the statement.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister and Digital Transformation Minister Mikhail Fyodorov said that the Google company will provide Ukraine with $2 million to finance digital education programs for Ukrainians and 50,000 Workplace yearly licenses for the government free of charge as part of an agreement reached at a meeting with a Google team.

"Google services have already become an element of the Digital Transformation Ministry's infrastructure. Now other governmental institutions will also be able to work faster and use them for free for the whole year," Ukrainian media outlets quoted Fyodorov as saying in a social media post.

The Digital Transformation Ministry will spend the $2-million grant from Google on digital literacy programs for Ukrainians and on efforts to overcome the digital gap and to enlarge the Diia. Digital Education platform, he said.

There are plans to launch the website's English-language version with reskilling programs, customized training trajectories with AI elements and employment tips, which will help a large number of people find in-demand jobs in the future and make their contribution to Ukraine's economic recovery.

Google will also help further develop the Diia. Digital Education national project, hiring Google.org Fellowship specialists to facilitate its technological and communication transformations.