January 22, 2020
Google Launches National Startup Program, Appoints Howard Alum as Head
Howard University alum Jewel Burks Solomon has become the first Head of Google For Startups.
Burks Solomon’s new role at Google is a newly-created position that will focus on empowering diverse startup founders with products, connections, and best practices. Burks Solomon shared the announcement on her Instagram page.
“I am thrilled about the opportunity to do work I’m deeply passionate about, to help level the playing field in the startup ecosystem,” Burks Solomon told Hypepotamus. “I have a great opportunity to highlight the work of incredible startups here and in other markets that have historically been underresourced.”
Working at Google isn’t new to Burks Solomon. She was previously entrepreneur-in-residence for diversity markets from 2014 to 2016, helping underserved business owners grow their businesses online using Google tools. “The opportunity to bring the best of Google to startups in Atlanta and other key markets is incredibly exciting,” Burks Solomon says. “Access to the right resources and people is critical to startup success, so I’m excited to be able to share these things with startups that need them.”
“Jewel’s background as an entrepreneur and investor gives her a deep amount of empathy for the founder journey and insight into what founders need to build successful businesses,” a Google representative told Hypepotamus in a statement. “Her experience allows the team to ensure our work is meaningful to startups and that the metrics of success are closely aligned with the startups we work with.”
Burks Solomon has also created her own success with PartPic, a startup she founded in 2013, which uses visual recognition software and machine learning to identify maintenance and repair supplies. She sold PartPic to Amazon in 2016.