Google has named the second cohort of startups selected for its AI Academy American Infrastructure programme, backing 17 early-stage companies with funding, tools, and engineering support to help solve real-world challenges using artificial intelligence.
This four-month initiative, now in its second year, targets startups working in sectors such as cybersecurity, transportation, education, and healthcare.
Google is not offering equity-based investments here, instead, it’s providing hands-on mentorship, sales training, and access to its cloud tools, including some of its most advanced AI models. Most of the sessions will be virtual, but participants will later gather in person for a summit.
These companies had to meet tight selection criteria: evidence of market traction, at least six months of financial runway, and a product or service capable of making significant impact. Applications closed in mid-May following a highly competitive process.
Startups selected for this new cohort include:
- Block Harbor, working on cybersecurity for automotive systems.
- Attuned Intelligence, building AI-powered voice agents for call centres.
- CloudRig, helping construction contractors manage production workflows with AI.
- Mpathic, automating clinical trials and medical documentation.
- StudyFetch, offering personalised learning tools to students and educators.
- Omnia Fishing, which gives users personalised fishing advice based on data.
- Making Space, matching disabled jobseekers with potential employers.
- Tansy AI, helping users organise their medical records and appointments.
- Waterplan, which lets companies track and respond to water-related risk.
- Nimblemind.ai, making health data more usable and searchable.
- Satlyt, a platform to process satellite data efficiently.
- Tradeverifyd, which helps companies assess supply chain risk in global markets.
- CircNova, using AI to understand RNA patterns for new therapeutics.
- Otrafy, automating supply chain compliance and documentation.
- Partsimony, helping companies build and manage their manufacturing supply chains.
- Vetr Health, providing at-home veterinary care.
- MedHaul, which connects hospitals with non-emergency transport options.
Among the programme’s earlier alumni is Cloverleaf AI, which secured a $2.8 million seed round after joining last year’s cohort. Another, Zordi, raised $20 million from Khlosa Ventures for its autonomous agtech solutions. These reveal Google’s reputation as an early identifier of high-impact startups in the AI space.
The Academy is just one of several efforts by the tech giant to shape the AI startup ecosystem. In May 2025, Google launched the AI Futures Fund, a rolling investment initiative supporting startups that are already building with DeepMind’s latest models—Gemini, Imagen, and Veo.
Startups funded under the Futures Fund receive equity investment, early access to the models, Google Cloud credits, and hands-on help from Google and DeepMind engineers. Some notable participants so far include:
- Toonsutra, a comic app that uses Gemini to translate webtoons across multiple languages.
- Viggle, an AI meme-generation platform powered by Gemini and Veo.
- Rooms, which allows users to create 3D spaces with interactive avatars.
This expansion into targeted funding aligns with Google’s broader AI education and inclusion strategy. At the UN Summit of the Future, CEO Sundar Pichai announced a $120 million Global AI Opportunity Fund aimed at reducing what he called the “AI divide”, the growing disparity in access to AI knowledge and tools across countries.
He said: “We believe AI should benefit everyone, everywhere, not just those in high-income economies.”
The $120 million fund works with NGOs and local partners to bring AI education to underserved communities, especially in countries with poor digital infrastructure or lacking policy frameworks to support tech growth.
Meanwhile, Google.org, Google’s charitable arm, has launched a $20 million Generative AI Accelerator that supports nonprofits using AI for public good. This includes funding for projects in climate resilience, healthcare access, and digital education.
These developments come as AI remains both a disruptive force and a promising tool. While the headlines usually focus on the risks, from deepfakes to disinformation, Google appears to be betting that the next breakthroughs will come from startups willing to solve practical, overlooked problems.
With its blend of funding, mentorship, and infrastructure support, Google is building a growing network of startups, and we see the company wants a hand in shaping how AI evolves far beyond Silicon Valley.
