Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai announced during the IX Summit of the Americas, held last week in Los Angeles, California, a commitment to invest $1.2 billion in Latin America over the next five years to support economic development and digital transformation in the region.
Of this amount, $300 million will go to Google’s philanthropic arm, Google.org, which funds sustainability NGOs and economic opportunities for women, like Pro Mujer, to help women-led businesses gain access to training and microcredit. They will also support organizations working to protect biodiversity in the Amazon rainforest.
For Pichai, digital transformation can help Latin America recover from the economic hit caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
These are Google’s initiatives for Latin America:
- Build a submarine cable across the Atlantic Ocean to ensure better internet for users in the region
- Hire engineers and offer 1 million scholarships for Google Career Certificates between 2023 and 2026
- Launch of Google Wallet in Chile and Brazil, and to other countries in a next stage
- Support entrepreneurs and innovation through Google for Startups
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