Google has launched the second round of its Google for Startups Accelerator focused on AI and energy companies.

The three-month program will run from September through November and is equity-free. Selected startups will get hands-on technical support, access to Google Cloud infrastructure, and mentorship from Google staff and energy sector specialists. The curriculum covers AI and machine learning infrastructure, product design, go-to-market strategy, and leadership.

Google is targeting companies from pre-seed to post-Series A with early commercial traction and a technology stack compatible with Google Cloud. Priority areas include grid-enhancing technologies and transmission analysis tools, virtual power plants and demand response platforms, and AI applications that reduce energy costs for households or industrial users.

The 2026 program is backed by more than 20 partners spanning energy utilities, grid operators, and venture capital firms across Europe and North America.

The company highlighted several success stories from its 2025 cohort in the announcement. They included the Spanish firm Delfos, which used the program to develop predictive maintenance capabilities that can flag potential failures in wind and solar assets up to 300 days in advance; French startup Tilt Energy, which successfully expanded into two new markets and now operates several hundred megawatts of distributed flexible capacity, and, finally, US-based Artemis, which, through the program, was able to halve its error rate for 3D extraction of solar imagery after integrating Google's Gemini into its platform, with the goal of reducing the cost of rooftop solar for households.

Startups based in Europe and Israel have until 12 June to apply via the Europe and Israel Accelerator page. North American founders have until 30 June, with applications open on the North America Accelerator page.