Google today announced that it is to open a new startup office in San Francisco with over 14,000 square feet available. The new office is at 301 Howard Street and is expected to open in mid-September. It should provide Google with the space to “train, educate and collaborate with local and international developers and startups.” This office will host the third class Google Launchpad Accelerator program, which was launched at the end of last year. Google established the Launchpad Accelerator scheme to support entrepreneur developers from emerging (smartphone) countries including India, Indonesia, Brazil and Mexico, which Google believes could be the three next billion dollar markets. Successful applicants enjoy a two week, all expenses paid, induction course at Google Mountain View before heading home to work on their new startup businesses. From this point, participants have access to Google’s considerable resource including software engineers and mentors. At the end of the course, Google brings the applicants back to Mountain View to meet the next batch of Launchpad Accelerator startups and to encourage a networking process.
In the detail, Google writes that the new office will hold Codelabs, Design Sprints and Tech Talks as well as Google Developer Group community meets. Google is setting up the new office because it has seen a large rise in the number of new developers starting their own businesses. Google considers the application development market to be both very important for its operating systems (both Android and Chrome OS) but also highly changeable. By providing input during the startup phase of a development business, Google is able to provide technical training and backup and ensure a large and healthy third party application market. Google’s blog makes it clear that the new San Francisco office gives the company more space for the Launchpad Accelerator project and to “bridge a gap between Silicon Valley and emerging (smartphone) markets.”
There are almost 50 Launchpad Accelerator alumni throughout India, Indonesia, Brazil and Mexico, tackling what the company calls “critical local problems.” At the end of the blog, Google writes that they can’t wait to get started. It’s exciting to see Google supporting and building on a project that was started only nine months ago. The new office will provide a meeting point for developers all over the world: if the Launchpad Accelerator continues to grow, it’s possible that Google will open other offices around the world.