Google for Startups Immersion EMEA 2026 for AI Founders: Applications Closed 13 October

Update (21 October 2026): Applications to the Immersion programme closed on 13 October 2026. The online sessions run from 22 to 28 October 2026, and the London phase for the top 25 startups follows in December.

Google for Startups has opened applications for Immersion, a hands-on programme for founders across Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), delivered together with venture builder Antler. It is aimed at founders who already have a product in the market and want to build for the AI-native era, and is positioned as a working masterclass rather than a webinar series.

For Mauritian founders, the programme is open to startups based in Africa, which makes it a relevant option for local teams building AI products.

How the programme works

Phase 1: online cohort

Four live sessions stream online in October 2026. The organisers list the schedule in London time; for Mauritius (GMT+4), the first three sessions run from 14:00 to 15:30.

22 October, 23 October and 27 October: 11:00–12:30 London time
28 October: 4:00–5:30 PM London time

The sessions split into two tracks:

Technical track — prototyping with Google AI Studio and "vibe coding", working with Google Antigravity, and designing agentic workflows on the Gemini Enterprise Agent Platform. The opening session, "From Vibe to Code", focuses on turning concepts into working software using Gemini and covers two guided codelabs, including a design-to-code workflow using Antigravity and Stitch MCP.
Venture track — a session with the Antler UK team on the AI investment landscape, unit economics and building long-term defensibility.

Phase 2: London, by invitation

The top 25 startups from the online cohort are invited to an in-person event in London in December. The organisers describe live architecture whiteboarding with Google engineers, one-to-one office hours with Antler on go-to-market strategy, pricing and fundraising, and a private networking session.

Who it is for

The programme is designed for founders, CTOs and technical leads at startups based in EMEA that already have a product in the wild and are aiming to lead in AI. The opening session is aimed specifically at teams that want to cut prototyping time and speed up product iteration.

What it means for Mauritius

Programmes that combine access to Google's AI tooling with venture guidance are still uncommon for early-stage teams in the region. For Mauritian startups, the online phase in particular offers a route to hands-on training with current AI development tools without leaving the island, although the London phase would require travel for those selected.

Key dates

Applications close: 13 October 2026
Online sessions: 22, 23, 27 and 28 October 2026
London event (invited startups only): December 2026

Full details, the agenda and registration are available on the official event page: https://rsvp.withgoogle.com/events/immersion-emea-2026