June 13, 2023

Meet The Black-Led UK Startups Joining Google Black Founders Fund 2023

google fund

The Google for Startups Black Founders Fund is back for the third year after it launched as part of Google’s $175 million commitment towards racial equity.

The fund has also expanded to Brazil, Europe, and Africa, and last year it announced its first-ever Latino Founders Fund in the US. It aims to support Black and Latino founders using technology to solve some of society’s biggest problems.

The European fund launched with a $2 million grant fund that has since doubled to $4 million, with 40 Black-led tech startups across Europe receiving grants from the fund.

Each startup is given $150,000 in non-dilutive cash awards, up to $200,000 in cloud credits and ad support, mentoring by industry execs, and connections inside Google’s network.

Before the funding, less than 0.25% went to Black-led startups.

Google for Startups partners with ITV, WPP, JCDecaux, Grow London Global, and Allen and Overy. Together they provide a comprehensive package of advertising, marketing, financial and legal support to the UK-based Black Founders Fund recipients.

10 UK-based startups were chosen this year, a quarter of the 40 startups this year, more than any other country in Europe and Africa.

Meet the startups

Below is the list of UK-based startups unveiled, with others across Europe also selected recently.

Anasi: A digitalized insurance broker delivering embedded goods in transit insurance to retailers.

Baselime: Baselime helps software engineers resolve bugs faster in the age of serverless computing. 

Earlybirds: Their software for employability providers combines voice technology and conversational AI to help providers deliver better quality, scalable support to frequently overlooked job seekers.

Gravity Sketch: Gravity Sketch is a virtual 3D design platform revolutionizing how we bring ideas to life and fundamentally changing how 3D design is done today.

Husmus: It offers a new kind of fair and transparent renters’ insurance for how we rent in the modern world, covering tenant risk to help make renting more affordable.

MyoMaster: MyoMaster enables everyday athletes to improve their performance and prevent injury.

Research Grid Ltd intentionally streamlines medical research processes from months to minutes to reduce inefficiency and inaccessibility.

Slinger: A platform that addresses the UK’s hospitality worker shortage by connecting the UK’s 10.3 million frontline workers to Living Wage opportunities.

Tangent: Tangent leverages video technology, generative AI, and a dynamic marketplace to connect traditionally overlooked talent to tech employees for an employee referral.


Upskill Digital: A startup committed to reducing the global digital skills gap by providing accessible learning support to those most need it.

Sara Keenan

Tech Reporter at POCIT. Following her master's degree in journalism, Sara cultivated a deep passion for writing and driving positive change for Black and Brown individuals across all areas of life. This passion expanded to include the experiences of Black and Brown people in tech thanks to her internship experience as an editorial assistant at a tech startup.