Google Accepting Applications For Circular Economy Accelerator Drowning In Trash

Search giant Google has announced in a blog that it is launching a brand new entirely online startup incubator with a focus on the illusive circular economy.

This is Google's most recent attempt to support the expansion of firms that focus on the environment and, maybe unintentionally, entice them to use its cloud services.

The circular economy, in the broadest sense, signifies a radical transformation in the way people produce and use goods.

The circular economy proposes an alternative whereby things are purposefully reused, repaired, and recycled repeatedly instead of collecting raw materials primarily to make commodities that end up in landfills, oceans, or incineration.

In general, the world does not operate in this manner, but in response to the global waste and climate crises, the idea has gained support among experts, some businesses, and policymakers.

“Every year, humanity consumes far more than what the planet can naturally replenish,” wrote Google circular economy lead Mike Werner on the company’s blog.

“We need to rebuild our relationship with physical resources and how we make, process, use and recycle them,” he added, citing fashion and food among the industries that applicants might focus on.

Applications for the accelerator became available on Monday, October 3, and are due by November 14 in time for its start in February 2023.

The 10-week programme offers mentorship and technical help "via a mix of 1-to-1 and 1-to-many learning sessions" to businesses and non-profit organisations in North America and the Asia-Pacific area.

The search and advertising giant isn't taking equity, and it's not providing funding through the programme, as it has with other accelerators with the "Google for Startups" moniker, including its climate programme from earlier this year.