Google’s AI accelerator welcomes 10 Australian startups tackling everything from dental workflows to materials science.
Google has selected 10 Australian startups for its 2025 AI First accelerator program, offering equity-free support including up to $350,000 in cloud credits and expert mentorship.
The cohort spans industries from healthcare to heavy manufacturing, reflecting Australia’s growing AI innovation landscape.
What’s happening: The Google for Startups Accelerator: AI First program has expanded its Australian presence, welcoming startups from Sydney to Auckland. This 10-week program connects founders with Google’s technical expertise and networks. Selected companies include Atomic Tessellator (materials science), CoTreat (dental AI), and Gelomics (pharmaceutical testing platforms).
Why this matters: Australia’s AI startup sector continues growing, with AI patents rising from 170 to 629 between 2015 and 2024. However, only 40% of small and medium enterprises currently adopt AI, indicating significant room for expansion. The program addresses gaps in technical mentorship and cloud infrastructure access for early-stage companies, though accelerator programs face ongoing challenges around fixed formats and limited flexibility for diverse startup needs.
The chosen cohorts
Healthcare innovation: Three standout companies demonstrate AI’s transformative potential in medical applications. Melbourne-based CoTreat targets dental practice efficiency, using artificial intelligence to streamline workflows whilst improving patient outcomes and transparency. The platform addresses productivity challenges that have long plagued dental practices across Australia.
Brisbane’s Gelomics takes pharmaceutical testing into new territory, enabling drug companies to conduct trials using lab-grown human tissues integrated with AI-powered analysis platforms. This approach could significantly reduce development timelines whilst improving drug safety profiles before human trials commence.
Meanwhile, Laronix, also from Brisbane, develops smart artificial larynx technology for individuals who’ve lost their natural voice through illness or injury. The startup’s non-invasive approach represents a breakthrough for voice restoration, combining AI with medical device innovation.
Industrial transformation accelerates: Heavy industry receives attention through Sydney-based Presien, which collaborates with original equipment manufacturers to convert traditional machinery into intelligent assets. Their multimodal (combining different types of data inputs) edge and cloud AI solutions target manufacturing efficiency improvements.
Auckland’s Atomic Tessellator operates as a virtual materials science laboratory, accelerating the discovery and validation of new materials through AI-driven processes. This technology could prove useful for industries from construction to aerospace.
Compliance and safety solutions: Regulatory compliance receives treatment through Sydney’s Haast, which automates marketing compliance for heavily regulated enterprises. The company deploys AI agents into existing content review workflows, replacing manual compliance processes with intelligent automation.
Safety takes a different form with Auckland’s ThroughLine, which provides emotional and online safety support through personalised guidance systems. The platform connects users with global helpline services, addressing growing concerns about digital wellbeing and mental health support.
Financial and operational efficiency: Melbourne’s RedOwl tackles financial governance by implementing real-time transaction control systems that activate before transactions complete. This preventive approach to financial oversight could change how businesses manage risk and compliance in complex regulatory environments.
Construction technology gains representation through Zoros AI, which improves cost estimation processes using intelligent agents that provide quantity takeoffs whilst analysing historical estimation data. This automation addresses ongoing challenges in construction project management.
Cross-border expansion: The program’s expansion to include New Zealand startups reflects growing recognition of the trans-Tasman innovation ecosystem. Both Atomic Tessellator and ThroughLine bring unique perspectives from New Zealand’s technology sector, strengthening regional collaboration in AI development.
Program benefits and challenges
Participants access support without surrendering equity stakes. The ten-week structure combines remote and in-person learning through one-to-one sessions, group workshops, and focused sprint projects. Each startup identifies specific technical challenges and receives pairing with relevant Google experts and industry leaders.
However, accelerator programs face inherent limitations. Common issues include fixed formats and mentorship relationships that can face scheduling conflicts and misaligned expectations.
“The Accelerator had a really good mentor system, which gave us access to some great people within Google. Coming off the back of that 12 weeks we had much more clarity and focus,” said Pip Bingemann, cofounder of Springboards, a previous program participant.
Beyond mentorship, startups receive practical benefits. The Google Cloud program provides up to $350,000 in credits alongside dedicated startup expert support and technical training. Additionally, participants gain 30 days of free Cloud TPU (Tensor Processing Unit – specialised chips designed for machine learning) access through the TPU Research Cloud program.
The curriculum includes workshops covering product design, customer acquisition strategies, and leadership development. Founders learn Google’s OKR (Objectives and Key Results) methodology for setting targets and tracking progress. Responsible AI training from Google’s People + AI research team covers ethical development practices.
Program culmination occurs through Demo Day in November 2025, where startups showcase their progress to potential investors and industry partners. This networking opportunity often proves valuable for securing subsequent funding rounds and strategic partnerships.
Australia’s AI ecosystem
Australia’s AI ecosystem shows measurable growth. Yet adoption remains uneven, with government data showing 40% of SMEs currently adopt AI, representing a 5% increase from the previous quarter.
This cohort selection reflects the country’s growing innovation sector. The diversity of applications, from materials science to dental workflows, demonstrates the technology’s broad applicability across traditional industries.
The program’s equity-free structure appeals to founders seeking to maintain control whilst accessing technical expertise. This approach differs from traditional accelerators that typically require equity stakes in exchange for investment and mentorship.
Applications for future cohorts open periodically through the Google for Startups platform. Selection criteria emphasise technical depth, with preference for startups demonstrating traction between seed and Series A funding stages. Companies must show commitment from senior leadership, including CEOs and CTOs, to participate fully in program requirements.
The accelerator seeks businesses building scalable products with significant total addressable markets and defensible growth models. Most importantly, applications must demonstrate technical implementation of machine learning and AI technologies, with dedicated technical leadership capable of engaging with the program’s mentorship opportunities.
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