Google announced the selection of 15 startups for the inaugural Google for Startups Accelerator: AI for Nature programme on May 2, 2025, addressing environmental risks with more than half of global GDP exposed to extensive risk from natural world decline. Head of Accelerator Paco Solsona highlighted the 10-week programme designed to provide early-stage startups with resources to scale their environmental impact through AI and advanced technologies.
Participants receive mentorship from Google experts, technical support, and access to Google's advanced technology including AI/ML, Cloud, and Maps platforms. Following programme completion, startups join Google for Startups alumni network with continued support including Google mentor access, expert insights, technology resources, and event participation.
The selected companies, based in North and Latin America, focus on measuring, monitoring, protecting, and restoring nature through AI-powered solutions. Google's existing environmental technology portfolio includes Earth Engine for geospatial analysis, SpeciesNet for camera trap photo analysis, and Perch bioacoustics model used globally for bird species detection by researchers.
Featured startups span diverse environmental applications: Abundance transforms forests and carbon into verified digital assets using AI and blockchain for environmental market transparency. Brightband democratises weather forecasting with AI-driven tools to improve extreme weather predictions, targeting $162 billion USD annual economic impact reduction. SenseNet provides comprehensive wildfire platform combining sensors, cameras, satellites, and advanced data systems for ultra-early detection and predictive fire modelling.
Earthshot Labs develops and finances nature-based carbon projects globally while building carbon market scaling infrastructure. Ceres Seeding develops autonomous drone technology for ecological restoration processes in hard-to-access areas, making restoration projects cheaper, quicker, and safer. OnDeck automates ocean video monitoring with AI understanding footage like humans without requiring labelled training data.
Water and ecosystem solutions include Bloom Alert using satellite technology and AI for desalination and mining water production with environmental challenge early warnings. eDNA Explorer integrates environmental DNA, geospatial data, and AI for natural resource manager decision-making on ecosystem health and conservation. Xatoms employs AI and quantum chemistry for discovering water purification materials globally.
The accelerator addresses planetary-scale environmental challenges through startup innovation in carbon markets, wildfire detection, ecosystem restoration, and water purification. Startups leverage Google's technology infrastructure to scale solutions for biodiversity protection, ecosystem restoration, and conservation effectiveness. The programme demonstrates Google's commitment to supporting environmental technology development beyond internal product offerings.
The competitive selection process from a highly competitive applicant pool positions Google as a leader in environmental AI innovation support. The 10-week programme structure with ongoing alumni network support creates long-term relationships between Google and emerging environmental technology companies. Integration with Google's existing environmental technology portfolio including Earth Engine, SpeciesNet, and Perch creates synergies for accelerated development and deployment of nature-focused AI solutions.