Google Cloud and government-backed innovation agencies in Southeast Asia have created an artificial intelligence (AI) startup corridor connecting the region to Silicon Valley.
The initiative, called Google for Startups Accelerator: Southeast Asia, aims to help startups in the Philippines and other Southeast Asian markets build and commercialize agentic AI products while expanding globally.
Partners include Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG), Indonesia’s Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs (Komdigi), Vietnam National Innovation Center (NIC), and the Startup and Innovation Hub of Ho Chi Minh City (SIHUB).
The program targets Seed to Series B startups from six Southeast Asian countries and offers direct engineering support, market access, and investor connections through Google Cloud and its partner network.
For Philippine startups, the program provides a rare opportunity to access Silicon Valley networks and advanced AI infrastructure without relocating overseas, potentially helping local founders attract funding and expand into international markets.
The accelerator was introduced during Google for Startups Sprint at Google’s Asia Pacific headquarters. The event brought together startups, investors, and government officials from across the region.
Google said more than 200 Southeast Asian startups have participated in its accelerator programs since 2018. These companies collectively raised $6.6 billion in funding and created over 11,300 jobs.
Among the startups that joined previous programs are Igloo, Kata.ai, Privy, Good Doctor, HealthMetrics, and Portcast.
“Founders often tell us that moving from product-market fit to international expansion is their hardest challenge,” said Sami Kizilbash, head of Developer Ecosystems, Asia Pacific, Google Cloud. “This program gives startups access to resources and global tech hubs that can help them commercialize frontier AI at scale.”
Applications are now open for the first batch of 25 startups. The three-month accelerator program starts in August 2026 and does not require founders to give up equity.
Selected startups will attend an in-person residency in California, where they will work with Google engineers at the company’s Mountain View and San Francisco campuses. Participants will also meet venture capital firms and investors in Silicon Valley.
Google said the initiative could help Southeast Asian startups compete globally as demand for AI tools continues to grow across industries, including finance, healthcare, logistics, retail, and agriculture.
The program includes up to $350,000 in Google Cloud credits, access to Tensor Processing Units (TPUs), Gemini AI models, and enterprise AI tools.
Startups will also receive technical training in agentic coding, large language model operations (LLMOps), AI context engineering, and multi-agent systems through workshops held at Google Developer Space, Garuda Spark Innovation Hub, NIC facilities, and SIHUB headquarters.
Google Cloud engineers, Google DeepMind researchers, and teams from Android, Google Ads, Google Pay, and Google Play will provide mentorship and technical advisory support.
The accelerator will end with a demo day in Singapore, where startups can present their products to investors, enterprise customers, and venture capital firms.