Google’s Startup Founders Fund has supported underrepresented founders since 2020, but the tech giant recently removed these programs entirely. The company has also abandoned its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) hiring goals, first implemented in 2009 to increase hires of underrepresented groups by 30% by 2020.

What Was the Google Startup Founders Fund for?

Google’s startups program was intended to provide monetary grants, scholarships, mentorship, and product support for startups founded by members of underrepresented communities, notably including women and those of African and Latino descent.

How Has the Founders Fund Impacted Startups?

According to the Google for Startups website, the fund has provided more than $58 million to over 600 founders, whose companies went on to raise over $500 million in venture capital. Recipients of Founders Funds would also receive mentorship, product credits, and product support to help these startup leaders navigate the journey ahead. However, the program’s association with DEI initiatives has garnered political and legal pushback.

Trends at Google and Across the Industry

Supposedly due to concerns with these factors, Google has abandoned its DEI hiring goals, removed a number of cultural holidays from Google Calendar—including Black History Month, Women’s History Month, and Holocaust Remembrance Day—and halted the Google Startup Founders Fund. Currently, the Founders Fund website lists zero grant programs as available in any region, but AI programs and U.S. accelerator programs in energy and climate continue to accept applications. The funding pause is specific to underrepresented groups.

Censorship of Certain Language

In fact, the language around underrepresented founders has been scrubbed from the website. As TechCrunch observed, “In December, the site specifically stated that the grants ‘provided more than $50 million to support underrepresented founders,’ whereas today, the word ‘underrepresented’ has been removed.”

This removal of language is consistent with current political moves, which have specified at least 200 words to be prohibited or avoided. Some of these include “accessible, bias, diverse, female, gender, race; and, of course, underrepresented.” It may be the case that Google is anticipating a potential political response to the language and intent of its funding program, and avoiding backlash.

Google’s Potential Pivot to Funding AI Startups

Regardless, it is uncertain whether the Google Startup Founders Fund has been ended, suspended, or restructured. The current language suggests that the fund may reposition itself as a non-specific grant program, providing funds to startup leaders outside of underrepresented communities. When asked, Google implied a shift toward AI startups, specifically.

“We have not yet opened applications in the U.S. for Google for Startups Funds in 2025,” a spokesperson said when asked about the fund programs. “Google for Startups is supporting all past cohorts of Founders Funds in our alumni community. In 2025, we’ll invest in AI-focused startups in the U.S. and we will share more specifics at a later date.”

A Future Risk of Commitment

Google’s movement away from supporting DEI initiatives and underrepresented communities is unfortunately consistent with other leaders in the tech industry, such as Meta and Amazon. Companies that have remained committed to supporting underrepresented founders may find themselves subject to lawsuits, such as PayPal, which is currently being sued over allegations that these support programs discriminate against other races.