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Need Cash For a Startup? Let Google Fund You
By Rob | June 28, 2007
If you haven’t heard yet, Google has released a new funding program around their Google Gadgets idea. Two types of funding are available.
1. Grants of $5,000 to those who’ve built gadgets we’d like to see developed further. You’re eligible to apply for a grant if you’ve developed a gadget that’s in our Google gadgets directory and gets at least 250,000 weekly page views. To apply, you must submit a one-page proposal detailing how you’d use the grant to improve your gadget.2. Seed investments of $100,000 to developers who’d like to build a business around the Google gadgets platform. Only Google Gadget Venture grant recipients are eligible for this type of funding. Submitting a business plan detailing how you plan to build a viable business around the gadgets platform is a required part of the seed investment application process.
Granted, the funding is limited in scope, but if you have an idea, try building a gadget component to your strategy. That would allow you to leverage the funding Google is willing to provide, and still do something bigger and better. For seed stage funding, Google takes a stake in your company. Relationships like that can be very beneficial in the long term.
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June 28th, 2007 at 6:20 pm
Is this similar to a government grant or do they want equity as well?
June 28th, 2007 at 6:48 pm
The grant is free, and never has to be paid back. For the seed investments, Google takes equity.