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Why We’re Sponsoring the Xoogler.co Community

Why We’re Sponsoring the Xoogler.co Community

Google is becoming a launchpad for innovation as more ex-Googlers leave the mothership and build their own startups. Google alumni have a unique perspective from working at one of the most innovative companies in the world, and now they’re building their own ecosystem of support amongst other ex-Googlers. Chris Fong started Xoogler.co in 2015 to bring this community together and collectively help each other reach greater heights.

David and I are both proud Google alumni. Since we left Google in 2016, Xoogler.co has provided Wilbur Labs and every portfolio company with an immense amount of resources, including access to world class events, networks, and mentorship.

That’s why we are excited to give back to the community that has helped us since day one, and provide Xoogler.co with funding to accelerate its growth and impact.

The Xoogler.co community, which now includes more than 7,000 current and ex-Google employees across the world, provides access to mentorship, networking, events, and programming to help ex-Google employees and potential founders succeed. Last year, Xoogler.co brought in world-class speakers like Bill Coughran, Google’s former SVP of Engineering for nearly 10 years, Stripe COO Claire Hughes Johnson, and former Google Senior VP and CFO Patrick Pichette, to share their experiences and offer advice to those venturing out on their own.

Xoogler.co also regularly hosts regional demo days with some of the world’s top investors. These demo days help connect interested investors with ex-Google founders like Mark Cummins, who pitched Pointy at the very first Xoogler Demo Day in 2016, and only last week announced being acquired by Google.

What's Next

As a result of our six-figure investment, Xoogler.co will be able to take the community to new heights. Here are a just a few updates they are working on:

  • Expanding global and regional programming to incorporate even more world-class founders and business leaders. To support this growth, the community is hiring a full-time events and marketing professional based in San Francisco.
  • Launching a talent marketplace to connect companies with ex-Googlers. Wilbur Labs has already hired numerous team members from the Xoogler community, including our Chief Technology Officer and Chief Science Officer.
  • Hosting events and programming out of the Wilbur Labs headquarters in San Francisco. We are excited for Wilbur Labs to become a hub for Google alumni to support each other and give back to the startup ecosystem.
  • Connecting more investors with ex-Google founders through marquee demo days hosted all over the world.

In addition, we’re looking forward to more collaborations between Wilbur Labs and the Xoogler.co community: from new portfolio companies built alongside ex-Googlers to supporting other founders in the community, and more.

Thank you again to Chris Fong, Ankit Jain, and the entire Xoogler.co community. We can’t wait to see what’s next.

Learn more about our sponsorship here.

Wilbur Labs is a San Francisco-based startup studio. We turn bold ideas into market-leading companies.

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