Tech giant, Google, has launched a new “accelerator” programme for start-ups, aimed at supporting new firms striving to drive progress against one or more of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It will choose start-ups to support based solely on their past work or their potential to drive progress towards the 169 targets listed under the SDG framework, selecting eight to ten start-ups within the coming weeks. Each start-up will receive mentoring from Google staff and access to 1:1 support from Google’s engineers. Google has also said it will pay for the start-ups to access local mentors and external experts in each start-up’s respective field. Google’s chief sustainability officer Kate Brandt said “technology can help address some of the world’s biggest challenges, from empowering others to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to address social challenges, to setting ambitious and long-term environmental sustainability goals” and noted that real progress can be made when we come together.

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