Sundar Pichai, Google’s chief executive, announced a three-month digital accelerator programme for high potential start-ups founded by blacks. AFP
Sundar Pichai, Google’s chief executive, announced a three-month digital accelerator programme for high potential start-ups founded by blacks. AFP
Sundar Pichai, Google’s chief executive, announced a three-month digital accelerator programme for high potential start-ups founded by blacks. AFP
Sundar Pichai, Google’s chief executive, announced a three-month digital accelerator programme for high potential start-ups founded by blacks. AFP

Google commits $175m to support black business owners and developers


Alkesh Sharma
  • English
  • Arabic

Google has introduced a $175 million (Dh642.3m) racial equity initiative with a focus on supporting black business owners, start-up founders, job seekers and developers.

The company divided the package into four categories, with the biggest allocation of $100m being directed towards black-led capital firms, start-ups and organisations supporting black entrepreneurs.

“Beyond our products, we know that racial equity is inextricably linked to economic opportunity … creating meaningful change starts within our own company,” Sundar Pichai, company’s chief executive, said.

The California-based company will spend $50m in financing and allocating grants for small businesses that are focused on the black community, whereas $15m will be spent on training black job seekers to help them grow their skills.

Another $10m is being assigned to help improve the black community’s access to education, equipment and economic opportunities in Google’s own developer ecosystem.

This fund is in addition to Google-owned YouTube’s $100m pledge to "amplifying and developing the voices of black creators and artists and their stories" over several years.

The announcements come in response to recent protests in the US and elsewhere that call attention to long-standing discrimination against African-Americans, following the death of George Floyd in police custody last month.

The tech giant is also aiming to improve diversity within higher levels of its own workforce, it said.

“We are working to improve black representation at senior levels and committing to a goal to improve leadership representation of underrepresented groups by 30 per cent by 2025,” said Mr Pichai.

“To help achieve this, we will post senior leadership roles externally as well as internally, and increase our investments … we will take the same approach across regions, using site and country-specific plans to recruit and hire more underrepresented Googlers.”

The company also launched a three-month digital accelerator programme for high potential Seed to Series A start-ups founded by black entrepreneurs.

It is committing nearly $3m to help close racial equality gaps in computer science education and increase black representation in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Other big tech businesses such as Amazon and Facebook have also announced increased funding for black causes, while Apple introduced a $100m racial equity and justice initiative that will start in the US and expand globally over time.

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Anghami
Started: December 2011
Co-founders: Elie Habib, Eddy Maroun
Based: Beirut and Dubai
Sector: Entertainment
Size: 85 employees
Stage: Series C
Investors: MEVP, du, Mobily, MBC, Samena Capital

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Desert Warrior

Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley

Director: Rupert Wyatt

Rating: 3/5

The specs: 2018 Mercedes-Benz S 450

Price, base / as tested Dh525,000 / Dh559,000

Engine: 3.0L V6 biturbo

Transmission: Nine-speed automatic

Power: 369hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 500Nm at 1,800rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 8.0L / 100km

The specs: 2017 Maserati Quattroporte

Price, base / as tested Dh389,000 / Dh559,000

Engine 3.0L twin-turbo V8

Transmission Eight-speed automatic

Power 530hp @ 6,800rpm

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Fuel economy, combined 10.7L / 100km

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Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman

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