Google Quietly Removes ‘Underrepresented’ Language from Startup Grant Website Amid DEI Rollback
Google removes “underrepresented” language from its Startup Fund pages, listing all grants as past initiatives.
Matilda
Google Quietly Removes ‘Underrepresented’ Language from Startup Grant Website Amid DEI Rollback
Just weeks after Google said it would review its diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, the Google for Startups Founders Fund web page is peppered with changes. Most notably Google is now using past tense to describe all of its fund programs for underrepresented founders. Image:Google for Startups This is a change that took place after December, according to the internet archives. And the site currently says that there are zero fund programs available. Google’s Startup Founders Fund launched in 2020 to provide monetary grants, mentorship, and product support for startups with underrepresented founders, including women and those from African and Latino descent. The site says it has given more than $50 million in support to more than 600 founders. Aside from capital, founders received mentorship and product support, such as credits to Google Cloud. But the grant landscape — especially regarding programs that targeted minorities — has changed greatly since 2020. Some tech founders and i…
