The window is rapidly closing for the next generation of Middle Eastern and North African AI pioneers. Tomorrow, January 30, 2026, marks the official application deadline for the Google for Startups Accelerator: Middle East, North Africa, and Turkey (MENAT). This highly competitive, 10-week equity-free program is specifically hunting for Seed to Series A startups that are "AI-first" and deeply technical. The 2026 cohort, set to kick off in April, will select just 10–15 startups to undergo an intensive transformation involving 1-to-1 mentorship from Google’s global engineers, product specialists, and industry experts. For the selected startups, the stakes are high: participants gain early access to Google’s most advanced AI products—including Gemini 3 and experimental tools through the Trusted Tester program—alongside up to $350,000 in Google Cloud and Firebase credits. The program is designed as a hybrid model, blending remote deep dives with in-person sprints to solve specific engine...