Iran Karimian is the Head of Accelerator & Startup Ecosystem at Google Canada. In her role, she brings the best of Google's people, programs, products and technology through Google for Startups Accelerator programs.
I had a chance to sit down with Iran during a break at Inventures 2024 to discuss the Google program and what it means for participating companies.
Listen for more and heads up: applications are now open for the fifth Google for Startups Accelerator Canada cohort until July 31st. This cohort will kick off in early October 2024.
Join the following Alberta companies who've participated in past cohorts:
Iran Karimian is the Head of Accelerator & Startup Ecosystem at Google Canada. In her role, she brings the best of Google's people, programs, products and technology through Google for Startups Accelerator programs.
I had a chance to sit down with Iran during a break at Inventures 2024 to discuss the Google program and what it means for participating companies.
Listen for more and heads up: applications are now open for the fifth Google for Startups Accelerator Canada cohort until July 31st. This cohort will kick off in early October 2024.
Join the following Alberta companies who've participated in past cohorts:
Shift by Alberta Innovates focuses on the people, businesses and organizations that are contributing to Alberta's strong tech ecosystem.
Speaker 1:
Inventors 2024 was a huge success this year, may 29th to 31st in large part to the attendees, but also to our sponsors, and today we're featuring one of those sponsors Google Startups. Now, google's got a lot of different programs that they offer entrepreneurs and startups and in this interview, we're going to dive in and learn about some of those. Sit back, relax. Welcome to Shift. Alright, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Shift. Today, my guest is Iran Karimeyan from Google Startups. How are you, iran?
Speaker 2:
I'm so good. Thanks for inviting me, john, excited to be here.
Speaker 1:
Well, it's so nice to have you guys involved and I'll tell you when we had a colleague that introduced me one of our technology development advisors, pej, in Calgary here and you've been such a pleasure to work with.
Speaker 2:
Oh, thank you, and I agree. I echo that sentiment. I feel like you've been so easy to work with and there's been so many great conversations and opportunities that have come out of this, so this has been awesome.
Speaker 1:
That's great. Well, I'm glad you know, and that's really you know. Inventures is all about kind of bringing the system together and bringing all of the supports, the innovators, entrepreneurs. Today, on the final day of InVentures, we have, I think, close to 200 high school students joining us.
Speaker 2:
Amazing.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, and the work you do with Google Startups. Why don't we flesh that out?
Speaker 2:
Tell me a little bit about what that's like and what the work involves. Absolutely so, in my role, I am the head of our startup and accelerator efforts across Canada at Google Canada. I say on any given day, I'm doing one of three things. The main thing that I work on is our accelerator programs. These are called our Google for Startups Accelerator Programs. We run five of them over the course of the year. All five are available to Canadian founders of the year.
Speaker 2:
All five are available to Canadian founders and really what we look for are super high potential technology focused companies that are building with artificial intelligence or machine learning, who are a little bit more further along, have an established business, have customer sales traction growth and are really ready to go to the next level using technology. We have been so fortunate to work with over 100 Canadian companies since we started these programs in 2020. And actually I have applications open right now for our next Canada class. So if there are any startups that are listening to this who fit that bill and who would like to learn more, I definitely encourage you to check it out. Just Google Google for Startups Accelerator Canada. It'll take you to our program page. All the details are there, including my team's email address. You can always email us with any questions as well.
Speaker 1:
Cool, okay, so then they'd fill up an application form.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, exactly, it's a pretty lengthy application form, so please do give yourself some time to complete it. But if you have any questions, more than welcome to reach out to our team. And really our mission is quite simple. It's just to bring to really empower Canadian startups using the best of Google through our programs, our people, our products and our technology, the program, of course, being the Accelerator program itself. Our people you know we've mobilized over 500 plus folks internally and externally who act as mentors, speakers, advisors that can help with all sorts of business challenges. So, of course, we're a technical first program. We have a ton of technical experts but, you know, related to topics such as sales, growth, marketing, people in leadership, okrs and goal settings, really, you know, we can support on all sides of the business.
Speaker 1:
So sorry. So when a company is accepted into the accelerator program, you've got all of those services that can help them out with that.
Speaker 2:
Absolutely yeah. So it's a 10 week program and so every week has a different sort of focus and area of focus of the business that we dive into. But really we're there to support with everything. So for companies that are looking to adopt Google Cloud and use those services, we also have a really robust credit package that we offer companies that are in the program. So it's about $200,000 USD over the course of two years and if you're an AI first company, it's $350,000 USD over the course of two years.
Speaker 2:
So the credits, paired with the mentorship and the guidance and just having access to people at Google, really can go quite a long way and is super powerful. And what's also awesome is that you know, after the 10 weeks is done, we don't say goodbye to you. You know we continue the relationship. All of our founders roll into our alumni community where they receive ongoing access to Google mentors, ongoing access to exclusive product offerings, you know special events and just really we use it as a way to just build out case studies. So once we graduate, it's like now let's work together on different partnerships and find ways to really showcase the incredible work that these startups have done while they're in the program with us Well, it's really forging a long-term relationship?
Speaker 1:
It is yes.
Speaker 2:
We are committed until the very end. So for as long as the startup wants to engage, we are more than happy to engage with them as well. And the mentorship piece is pretty powerful, because just knowing that at any time on any day you have any sort of problem or challenge or something breaks and you can schedule time with a Google expert to help you resolve it, that's pretty powerful.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, no kidding. Now, when you think about all of what you guys are offering and then you think about some of the other service providers, like Alberta Innovates and maybe the regional innovation networks we have and Calgary Innovation Coalition, Edmonton Regional Innovation Network, is there a way that all of these systems in a much larger ecosystem can work together? Do you see opportunity for that?
Speaker 2:
Oh, absolutely yeah, we have a ton of partners that we work with across the country and we have a lot of, you know, community contributing relationships as well. I think Canada is a small ecosystem. There's definitely room for every service and every program and every offering and I think it's all very complimentary. So I think the value that a different organization can bring could be very different than the value that we can bring through our programs. You know, some organizations provide funding and, you know, take equity. Our focus we are an equity-free program. Our focus is really on providing that technical support, that technical enablement, access to our network and just really helping unlock those technical challenges that you have.
Speaker 1:
Now with the Accelerator program we have going in Canada with you leading that. Is there a similar thing in the States and in Europe?
Speaker 2:
Yes, yes, so our Accelerator programs are global. We are in there's 19 programs running across the world, I believe. We are in 22 regions with 19 programs, as I mentioned. So every region has slightly different qualifications. The program looks slightly different, but the mission is the same. So bringing the best of Google to startups in these local communities and really, just, you know, doing what we can to support the enablement, the growth and the technology adoption that they have.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, Now do you see opportunity? Or has there been examples of past opportunity where, say, a graduate of a Google accelerator program in one jurisdiction starts partnering with a startup alumni in another jurisdiction? Have you seen that yet?
Speaker 2:
We have made a lot of introductions to startups across programs. Actually, just yesterday my colleagues in Korea reached out saying we have a startup that's in our program right now. They're looking to come to Canada, to come to Toronto specifically for Collision in a few weeks and looking to connect with some Canadian founders. So we're always making those connections. Has an actual partnership formed? I'm not sure, but it's a global community so as much as we can help support founders from any region, we're trying to enable that.
Speaker 1:
Well, iran, I'm going to ask you the same question next year at InVentures 2025, because I'm hoping you guys come back, because you've been fantastic.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, I want to. Alberta is great. Calgary has been awesome. I'm just truly blown away by all the innovation here and the access to resources and really just I think the biggest takeaway is that there's true long-term vision in terms of how the ecosystem can continue to thrive, and so I'm really excited. I think there's a ton of opportunity and I'm looking forward to doing more in Calgary.
Speaker 1:
Well, you know what? Let me just expand on that and put words in your mouth. But in Alberta.
Speaker 2:
In Alberta.
Speaker 1:
yes, so the activity, the adventures, takes place in Calgary but it's Alberta-wide, so that innovation ecosystem is quite comprehensive and quite powerful and I think we hit above our weight. I think that's the expression, and you know there's an opportunity for our ecosystem to continue to coalesce, and then you know the Googles and other organizations to come in and start expanding on that. I think there's some really great opportunity and I hope we can continue to flesh that out For sure. Yeah Well, thank you very much for joining us and give me your final thoughts on Adventures 22 and 4, because this is your first time here and you guys were sponsors this year and thank you very much for that. But what were your impressions?
Speaker 2:
You know it is my first year at Adventures. I've been to many of these conferences and I wasn't really sure what to expect. But being here and just you know, meeting so many wonderful technology startups, so many ecosystem players and partners that are doing really great work, I'm just really blown away by the quality and just the care and really excited for, just you know, what's continuing to come out of Alberta as a whole. So I'm excited. I think you know there's a lot of great stuff happening here and I oversee all of Canada, but I've just, you know, being here on the ground in Calgary, you know, interacting with so many Alberta-based companies and organizations. I'm just really blown away by what's happening and really excited to continue doing more here.
Speaker 1:
Well, thank you very much for your time. I appreciate it.
Speaker 2:
Thank you so much.
Speaker 1:
Shift can be found online at shiftalbertainnovatesca, or you can reach us via email at shift at alberta innovates dot ca. We can also be found on your favorite streaming service, so dive in and enjoy until next time. I'm john.