Startups need to move quickly and focus their limited resources on areas where they can differentiate. If infrastructure isn’t your differentiator, don’t put a lot of energy into your infrastructure when someone else can do it for you. What’s more, time-to-market matters to startups more now than ever. Successful early stage companies know this, and leverage existing tools, libraries, frameworks and innovations whenever possible.  

Next week Google Cloud will be featured at TechCrunch Disrupt, the iconic annual event where “founders and investors shaping the future of disruptive technology” come together to share stories, network, and learn from each other. Google Cloud will host a session and Google Cloud engineers will be available in a virtual booth to answer startup questions. 

The session, “Demo Derby – How startups are disrupting the status quo with innovative data analytics, AI and modern app development” will be a fun, fast-paced set of presentations showing short demos of startups and startup projects built with Google Cloud. 

Demo Derby Presenters

• Andrea Le Vot, Chief Data Protection Officer with startup BlueZoo will deliver a demo showing how they are revolutionizing the property insurance industry with AI and Cloud – and doing so while actually protecting people’s privacy.
• Dale Markowitz and Zack Akil, Applied AI Engineers, will show how easy it is to use AI for everything from video search to editing to automated translation.
• Vidya Nagarajan, Group Product Manager from Google Cloud will deliver a fast paced demo that shows how startups can drive developer productivity with serverless innovations.

“Disrupt is iconic for its engagement with founders, investors, and the broad community of early stage companies,” said Andrea Le Vot, Chief Data Protection Officer at BlueZoo. “We are thrilled to share our insights with others in our community, and to show how we have partnered with Google Cloud to innovate faster than most of the larger, well funded insurance companies in our market.”

The series of snippet sized demos will be followed by a roundtable discussion with the demo developers focused on lessons learned, best practices, how to reduce time-to-market, and how to focus on where you can most effectively differentiate.

The session will air on Day One of the event: Tuesday September 21, 2021 at 1pm PT and will be available on demand after the event for all Disrupt attendees.

In the fragmented world of U.S. healthcare, patients often have to wait in line or on hold, navigate multiple patient portals, and fill out numerous request forms—all in pursuit of their own medical history. Healthcare technology startup PicnicHealth is on a mission to put control back with the patient, where it belongs.

PicnicHealth’s growth, from closing successful venture rounds to winning machine learning (ML) competitions, speaks to not only improvements and opportunities in healthcare, but also how startups are leveraging Google Workspace and Google Cloud services to accelerate momentum.

The company does the heavy lifting of collecting records and leverages human-in-the-loop ML to transcribe and validate them with an abstraction team of medical professionals. The records are then structured into a complete medical history that patients can access and share with providers to get better care.

But PicnicHealth helps to improve patient health on more than one front. It allows patients to contribute their data to de-identified medical research, building high-quality, anonymized datasets that researchers and life sciences companies can use to better understand disease progression and treatment in the real world.

Google Workspace has been part of PicnicHealth from day one, helping the founders collaborate and shape the company’s vision using cloud-synced documents and spreadsheets to collaborate and model predictions. “I’ve had a Gmail account since 2006, and in college 100% of people worked out of Google Docs. Workspace continues to be the best choice for online collaboration, and that’s why it’s still the default standard for startups,” said Troy Astorino, CoFounder & CTO of PicnicHealth. “When we started PicnicHealth, my co-founder Noga Leviner was in San Francisco and I was in Southern California, and of course we used Workspace.”

Today, Google Workspace continues to play a central role in the company’s collaboration. “We create design documents in Google Docs, primarily for engineering and product changes, and get really healthy, vibrant discussions through comments,” noted Astorino. “This practice has grown beyond engineering and is used for everything from how the company operates to communication norms.”

Google Workspace offers everything the team needs to collaborate, no matter where employees are. PicnicHealth’s team has spread from San Francisco to being distributed across the country and around the world. Instant collaboration is crucial.

“We work in a complex domain where people need a lot of information to make good decisions,” said Astorino. “Google Workspace allows us to operate in a mode of default transparency, where people can easily get the information they need even if it wasn’t intentionally or directly shared with them. Whether it’s working in Docs or scheduling in Calendar, we can operate much more effectively than we could otherwise.”

By any measure, PicnicHealth’s trajectory is one of record success. The startup is a 2014 alumni of Y Combinator, a program that helped launch household names like Airbnb, DoorDash, and Dropbox. Three years later, the team went on to win the $1 million grand prize at Google’s Machine Learning Competition. And the momentum has continued— PicnicHealth has recently announced a $60 million Series C round, bringing the amount raised to date to over $100 million. With the Series C, PicnicHealth is investing in expanding its reach to more patients across over 30 diseases.

As a healthcare startup, PicnicHealth faced a very particular set of challenges, especially when working with and accessing data. Data fragmentation and interoperability are only some of the challenges of realizing the value of big data in the cloud. The healthcare industry is notoriously difficult to navigate due to sensitive data protection laws and regulations like the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

PicnicHealth started in the cloud on Amazon Web Services (AWS). However, after migrating over to Kubernetes and facing an expanding list of requirements for HIPAA compliance, the company started to explore alternatives.

“We needed to be HIPAA compliant, which was going to be painful on AWS, and we wanted to get away from managing and operating our own Kubernetes clusters,” recalled Astorino. “We had heard good things about GKE (Google Kubernetes Engine). And particularly valuable for us, — many technical requirements you need for HIPAA compliance are configured by default on Google Cloud.”

PicnicHealth would have had to implement a lot of changes and get specialized instance types to get their existing configuration to work. So, they began experimenting with Google Cloud and discovered a much smoother experience.

“It was a lot easier to manage in terms of product setup and developer experience,” said Astorino. “There is a sane product hierarchy of resources you can access and use through Google Cloud and the relationships between them, from coordinated IAM (identity and access management) to using Google Groups for granting permissions. Overall, it’s cleaner.”

Astorino added that the move has also opened the doors to taking advantage of other services in the Google Cloud ecosystem like Cloud SQL, BigQuery, and Cloud Composer. PicnicHealth also uses Security Command Center because it easily integrates with everything but also helps meet various compliance frameworks’ requirements, providing visibility, near-real-time asset discovery, and security information and event management.

But most importantly, the integrated ecosystem has simplified the work needed for PicnicHealth to create a secure environment for employees to use when working with sensitive medical records while still providing all the tools they need. For example, abstractors not only use Google Workspace but also have Chromebooks because they are easy to manage and secure.

Altogether, Google Cloud helps form a technology stack that has enabled the startup to build a massive labeled dataset containing over 100 million labeled medical data concepts. In turn, it accelerates PicnicHealth’s ability to generate highly-performant AI models and feed other ML pipelines, which has been vital for processing and reviewing data at scale.

To learn more about how Google Workspace and Google Cloud help startups like PicnicHealth accelerate their journey, visit our startups solutions pages for Google Workspace and Google Cloud.

Today’s Google Doodle reminds us of the enormous changes our planet is experiencing due to climate change. Everyone, from businesses to governments to technologists, has the opportunity to meet this challenge — transforming themselves and their organizations to be more sustainable. For this Earth Day 2022, and indeed Earth Week, Google Cloud celebrates the organizations and individuals who are fighting climate change with innovative technology. We don’t want you to miss a thing, so here’s a recap of all our news in one handy location.

We asked global CEOs: what is it going to take to make progress on sustainability in your org?
In a survey of 1,500 CXOs across 16 countries, many executives say they are willing to do what it takes to have more sustainable practices. But despite their ambition, real measures of impact are lacking. To see what will change that, check out the blog.

We announced a new innovation challenge supporting climate science and research…
Our blog on Monday announced the Climate Innovation Challenge Research Credits program, to support researchers as they work to better understand climate change, increase climate resilience and develop new, promising solutions to urgent climate challenges. You can apply for research credits here.

…and shared stories of researchers making a difference
We interviewed Dr. Richard Fernandes from Natural Resources Canada, who built the LEAF toolbox that maps and assesses vegetation with satellite data from Google Earth Engine. You can read our Q&A here.

Canada has approximately 10 million square kilometers of land and the annual data volume of these maps is equivalent to streaming HD movies for over 750 hours non-stop. Cloud computing allows us to manage all this data in a useful and accessible way.

Dr. Fernandes, Research Scientist

We also published a story about the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service, and how they use Google Cloud processing and analysis tools to help sustainably manage 193 million acres of land.

We turned the lights on at new clean energy projects in four countries…
We shared details of our battery project in Belgium, solar projects in Denmark, and wind projects in Chile and Finland. Our battery project in Belgium is the first of its kind, enabling us to switch from diesel generators to a cleaner backup solution that will keep the internet up and running in the event of a power disruption. These will all help us continue to operate the cleanest cloud in the industry.

…and made it easier to learn how to build applications more sustainably
We launched a new lab that walks users through our Carbon Sense suite of products. From using our region picker app to make low-carbon architecture decisions, to analyzing the carbon footprint of your Google Cloud app with Carbon Footprint, we’re building sustainability into the tools you use every day. You can also find Carbon Footprint training in the new Data Warehouse Cloud On-Board.

We formed an ecosystem of partners to help accelerate sustainability projects…
The Google Cloud partner ecosystem is critical to helping our customers act sustainably today. A new whitepaper produced in partnership with Enterprise Strategy Group shares real-world solutions that could make an immediate impact — not in the next decade, but right now.

…and shared stories of innovative startups changing the game with Google Cloud.
Take Enexor and its partners, who are producing clean and sustainable energy from discarded plastics and agro-waste. The blog from Lee Jestings, Enexor Founder & CEO, shares how Google for Startups got them started, and which Google Cloud tools help them build predictive models. Check out their story.

Or Nuuly, the rental and resale business created by the URBN portfolio, which also includes Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, and Free People. In the blog you can read how Nuuly is using technology to provide a sustainable experience to employees and customers — from upcycling clothing, to recyclable and reusable packaging.

Whether you’re a startup, scientist, executive or developer, at Google Cloud we’ll continue to work hard to help make your digital transformation a sustainable one.

Learn more about our sustainability work here, and don’t miss the inaugural Cloud Sustainability Summit this June. Register now.

Editor’s note: Earth Day reminds us that we all can contribute to creating a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable future. Google Cloud is excited to celebrate innovative startup companies developing new technology and driving sustainable change. On this year’s Earth Day we’re highlighting Enexor BioEnergy and their initiative to produce clean, sustainable energy from plastic and agro-waste with the help of Google Cloud solutions.

Picture a world without electricity where billions of people burn dangerous fuels and trash from landfills to cook meals and heat their homes. Children constantly cough, choking on toxic smoke that lingers in houses and sickens entire families. Because there are no pumps or purification plants, contaminated water is hauled in buckets from dirty rivers and polluted wells. Without power or lights, hospitals and emergency medical clinics can only provide basic services during the day.

Although it is 2022, this harsh life is a reality for billions of people living in developing countries around the world.

Producing clean energy from plastics and organic-waste

This Earth Day, let’s imagine what life would be like in these countries if people had access to safe and inexpensive bioenergy. In this world, indoor air is fresher. Clean water runs from faucets, while homes, businesses, and schools have electricity. Doctors and nurses have the power to treat patients 24 hours a day and save lives with advanced medical equipment. Local economies boom and entrepreneurs thrive.

This is the sustainable future Enexor BioEnergy and its partners are building—one village at a time. With the Enexor Bio-CHP™ system, we produce clean and sustainable energy from discarded plastics, organic, and biomass-waste such as rice and corn husks, seaweed, coconuts, and other biomatter while offsetting significant Carbon emissions. The Bio-CHP can be commissioned and easily installed in just a single day, with multiple systems installed side-by-side when more power is needed. By being offered under its novel Energy-as-a-Service business model, Enexor ensures that the Bio-CHP can generate immediate environmental positive impact and customer adoption.

Each Bio-CHP unit generates enough energy to power over 100 homes—and provides much-needed renewable electricity and thermal power for schools, businesses, manufacturing facilities, water pumps, Wi-Fi systems, and telecommunications towers. The Bio-CHP creates clean energy by safely oxidizing plastics and biomatter in a secure container using a high-temperature system to power a micro-turbine. This produces bioenergy, significantly reducing harmful greenhouse gas emissions.

By solving a community’s waste issues while providing more affordable renewable energy, the Bio-CHP also creates new economic opportunities and improved outcomes where it is installed. This includes using its inexpensive power to expand local services and offerings, and empowering local community clean up efforts by incentivizing waste collection via blockchain-enabled digital currencies and services such as PayGo. Additionally, the Bio-CHP is an ideal solution for businesses who desire to maximize their own sustainability efforts, gain greater energy resiliency, and save money on their current energy and waste costs.

Engaging in Google for Startups Accelerator: Climate Change

When developing the Bio-CHP, we realized we needed a reliable and experienced partner to help us incorporate the best in class machine learning and artificial intelligence into our technology. That’s why we joined the Google for Startups Accelerator and participated in the Google for Startups Accelerator: Climate Change.

The accelerator introduced us to other companies working to create a sustainable future and opened new opportunities for collaboration and partnerships. The accelerator also continues to give our small team access to the best of Google Cloud’s people, programs, and solutions. We especially want to highlight Google Cloud’s dedicated startup experts and the incredible technical support they provide, as well as the Google Cloud research credits we used to explore new solutions.

As an example, Enexor is developing a predictive maintenance tool that automatically adjusts Bio-CHP operations to match fuel composition. Another tool in development proactively identifies and flags potential Bio-CHP system and component failures—before they occur.

Google Cloud’s dedicated startup experts work closely with Enexor to develop predictive models for these tools and Enexor also used the Google Cloud research credits that were provided to build these advanced models on TensorFlow, Vertex AI, Cloud CDN and AutoML. Since each system is remotely monitored from Enexor’s global headquarters in Tennessee, predictive maintenance tools also increase the safety, reliability, and efficiency of Bio-CHP in off-grid locations.

Generating 13 billion kWh of clean power by 2040

In the future, Enexor plans to explore additional Google Cloud solutions such as BigQuery to crunch larger datasets, Google Data Studio to build dashboards, and perhaps even Google Cloud Tensor Processing Units (TPUs) to more efficiently process machine learning (ML) workloads.

These solutions will help Enexor to achieve three primary goals by 2040: to generate 13 billion kWh of clean power, reduce 120 million tons of CO₂, and provide one million people with access to clean and sustainable energy. With each Bio-CHP system, Enexor annually reduces up to 2,000 metric tons of CO₂ equivalent emissions by decreasing methane emissions released from landfills, offsetting fossil fuel-based power generation with carbon credits and minimizing waste disposal transportation emissions.

Enexor is now preparing to deploy the Bio-CHP in Accra, Ghana where it will convert organic and plastic manufacturing waste into sustainable energy. Enexor is also looking forward to working with the local Accra community and NGOs to collect discarded plastics and organic waste diverting it from ending in the rivers and oceans and instead using them as renewable fuel sources. We can’t wait to see what we accomplish next as we celebrate Earth Day 2022 and think about the sustainable future Enexor is helping to empower.

If you want to learn more about how Google Cloud can help your startup, visit our page here to get more information about our program, and sign up for our communications to get a look at our community activities, digital events, special offers, and more.