Google for Startups has opened applications for the next edition of its Gemini Startup Forum, a two-day in-person gathering for early-stage AI founders set to take place in Sunnyvale, California in November 2026. The application deadline is August 28, 2026.
What the forum offers founders
Google for Startups, in partnership with DeepMind and Google Cloud, presents the Gemini Startup Forum, a unique two-day in-person event where the leaders of today’s most innovative Seed to Series A startups will have the opportunity to engage in forward-thinking dialogue with AI experts from Google.
The forum is scheduled for November 2026 in Sunnyvale and is designed as an intimate, two-day in-person gathering that fosters deep connections and unique insight sharing between founders and top AI experts from Google.
At the forum, participants will hear from Google AI experts and leaders, receive hands-on support from the engineers behind Google’s newest products, gain exclusive access to AI demos, and network with fellow founders.
Google has positioned the forum as a channel through which founders can influence Gemini’s evolution by providing direct feedback to the teams building it.
Eligibility and what is included
The Gemini Startup Forum is an application-based event for Seed-to-Series A startup founders who are committed to integrating AI as a core pillar of their growth strategy. Attendees are selected to ensure a high-caliber, collaborative environment.
The forum is part of Google’s global Gemini Kit suite of resources, through which eligible AI startups can receive up to $350,000 in Cloud credits usable across a broad range of Google Cloud services, along with hands-on API sprints, a multimedia library with trainings and learning materials, and access to Google AI Studio.
The program’s reach has grown steadily since its debut, reflecting rising demand from AI-focused founders worldwide.
A program that has scaled rapidly
At the inaugural Google for Startups Gemini Startup Forum, launched in partnership with Google DeepMind last November, more than 50 pioneering founders collaborated with experts across Google to overcome technical challenges, refine their product strategies, and scale their solutions globally.
The second cohort was selected from nearly 2,000 applications from around the globe, representing 16 countries, including major tech hubs such as the United States, the United Kingdom, France, India, Singapore, and Brazil.
For context on how quickly Google’s own model lineup is evolving, GCN recently covered how Google launched Gemini 2.5 Flash alongside a dedicated cybersecurity model.
Spots are limited and deadline is firm
The Gemini Startup Forum, organized in collaboration with Google DeepMind and Google Cloud, has limited spots, and interested startups must submit their applications by August 28, 2026.
The November event continues a parallel track alongside the specialist Gemini Startup Forum: Cybersecurity, which is set for September 2026 in London, UK, and has already selected its first cohort of 33 startups.
The forum is a benefit of the Google for Startups Gemini Kit, which is packed with APIs, tools, training, and technical resources to help startups scale with AI. Founders can apply through the official Google for Startups program page before the August 28 cutoff.
