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Parallel18, Google Developers Launchpad team up to support P.R.’s startup ecosystem

Startup accelerator parallel18 has amplified its resources network by joining Google Developers Launchpad’s select group of regional partners, it announced.

The collaboration not only grants access to Google’s global network but also encourages sharing insights and best practices between startup ecosystem catalyzers from around the world, parallel18 officials said.

Google Developers Launchpad is a branch of Google that operates a global acceleration program to help startups grow. As part of its strategy to support innovation ecosystems outside of Silicon Valley, the organization teams up with top independent accelerators across Latin America, Africa, Europe, and Asia.

Parallel18 is a startup accelerator created by the Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust to promote, support and give visibility to innovative entrepreneurship on the island. Since its founding in 2015, parallel18 has worked with more than 200 startups from Puerto Rico, the continental United States, Latin America, Europe, and Asia and captured international attention for the local tech and innovation ecosystem.

The “parallel18 Powered by Google Developers Launchpad” initiative will connect the Puerto Rican organization to an elite group of the world’s top accelerators, allowing it to share information and leverage resources.

Parallel18 will also access Google’s global network, insights from the company’s Silicon Valley-based startup programs, and twenty years’ worth of Google research and best practice insights on building businesses, products, and teams at a massive scale.

These resources will help parallel18’s startup portfolio — which already includes some of the fastest-growing companies in the region — scale its businesses exponentially.

“This alliance with Google Developers Launchpad instantly widened our network of speakers and expert mentors, which are the key to offer a business development curriculum that is of the highest quality and relevant to the entrepreneurs we serve,” said Eduardo Padial, operations manager at parallel18, in charge of the acceleration curriculums.

Sebastián Vidal, executive director of parallel18 also added: “Our alumni consistently highlight the educational component and the mentorship with local and international experts as parallel18’s greatest value. By teaming up with Google Developers Launchpad we reaffirm our commitment to support young innovative companies in their journey to scale globally.”

“During the past few years, we’ve been working to create new bridges between Latin America and the United States,” said Kevin O’Toole, global head of strategy, operations, and partnerships for Google Launchpad.

“Puerto Rico is one of the most promising entry points to the Hispanics market in America, and thanks to Parallel18, all startups both in the island and everywhere else in the world, can benefit from our Launchpad program, and mentor network,” he said.

As part of the collaboration, experts from Google’s network will join the Startups of Puerto Rico Speaker Series to offer conferences and workshops open to the community.

“In the coming years, markets outside of Silicon Valley will increasingly impact the global startup and technology ecosystem. And while it’s easier than ever to start a company, access to success methodologies, expert mentors, and ecosystem best practices for building companies remain unevenly distributed,” said O’Toole.

Google Developers Launchpad doesn’t take an equity stake in accelerator portfolio startups but instead focuses on developing companies and their ecosystems over the long term.

The company’s executive added that the “Powered by” program is about empowering startup communities around the world and helping them leverage each other for insights and resource sharing.

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This story was written by our staff based on a press release.
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