Two Black-led Educational Companies Benefit From Google’s $25M AI Fund

As part of the AI Opportunity Fund, Google.org is announcing over $25M in funding to support educators and students in developing AI skills.

Five education organizations will receive funding to equip over 500,000 educators and students across the U.S. with foundational AI skills through the development of AI curricula, teacher training, and meaningful, inclusive AI learning experiences.

The announcement builds on the impact of Google’s $75M AI Opportunity Fund, which will help over one million Americans learn essential AI skills by funding best-in-class workforce development and education organizations nationwide. 

“As AI and generative tools become more common, it’s essential for teachers and students to understand how the technology works at a basic level, the data that drives it, and how to use it responsibly and effectively,” states Maggie Johnson, Vice President, Google.org. 

These Black founders lead two educational companies out of the five beneficiaries:

Michael Ellison, CodePath

CodePath is dedicated to reprogramming higher education to create the most diverse generation of engineers, CTOs, and founders. Breaking into the tech industry requires several factors: industry-relevant knowledge, connections, specific hard and soft skills, navigating job search, and the technical interviewing process. 

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Nonetheless, ​​many college computer science programs lack the resources to practically prepare students for career success, such as keeping up with the latest industry trends, building employer partnerships, and providing access to critical internships that give students a smooth transition into the industry. These barriers are particularly detrimental to Black, Latino/a, first-generation, and low-income students. 

This is where CodePath comes in. The platform creates and delivers industry-vetted AI coursework to the needs of Black, Latino/a, and low-income students.

Founded in 2017 by Michael Ellison as a nonprofit, CodePath has helped thousands of students across over 600 campuses persist in their computer science journeys and thrive in technology careers.

Michael Ellison said on the funding, “In just seven years, CodePath has trained more than 20,000 students, and now, with this support from Google.org, we will accelerate our ability to scale and add another 25,000 in just two years.” 

“We are constantly hearing from universities that they need help to meet the growing demands from computer science students who want to leave school at an industry-ready level and companies who need to hire graduates prepared for the future of AI native software engineering. Working together with Google, we will expand that talent pipeline and ensure that underserved student communities are given access to critically important resources that will enable them to secure the most competitive technical roles,” he added.

The $5 million funding from Google.org will allow CodePath to integrate AI across its curriculum and student support services. From coaching students on using AI in debugging workflows to simulating code reviews, CodePath is leveraging technology to personalize learning at scale and improve proficiency. 

Yamilee Toussaint, STEM From Dance

STEM From Dance closes gender gaps in STEM by developing and delivering foundational AI content to girls of color, allowing them to enhance dance choreography through sound, animation, and technology.

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The nonprofit organization started when its founder and CEO, Yamilee Toussaint, walked into her first mechanical engineering class at MIT and was shocked at how few women of color were in the room.

As she stepped into her STEM career, she was moved to use dance—a confidence builder that helped her power her way through challenging engineering classes—to light the way for girls of color to pursue STEM careers. 

The company empowers thousands of girls of color between the ages of 8 and 18 across the U.S. to become the next generation of STEM leaders and innovators.

“We are thrilled to embark on this transformative journey with Google.org to inspire the next generation of AI enthusiasts and creators,” remarked Yamilee Toussaint, Founder and CEO of STEM From Dance. “Through the power of dance, we will equip girls of color with the knowledge and skills to navigate the exciting world of AI, empowering them to pursue rewarding careers in STEM fields.”

Google.org’s $1 million support will drive an ambitious project to enhance AI literacy among girls of color. The project will leverage STEM From Dance’s unique approach to integrating dance into STEM education. 

The project aims to refine and scale STEM From Dance’s AI curriculum with the latest advancements in AI technology and tailor it for seamless integration into the organization’s dance-based programs.

Through these new initiatives, Google aims to equip the next generation of professionals and educators with crucial AI skills for the classroom and beyond.