Posted by Karolis Balciunas, VC & Startups Business Development, Google Play
Early Access was launched at Google I/O 2016 as a destination
on Google Play for beta app and game titles still in development, and to attract
early adopters willing to test those titles. The results speak for themselves.
The program has helped over 350 developers launch their titles and generated
over 40M beta installs for their apps and games during just the short window
before their public availability on the Play Store. More importantly, the
average rating for titles that have been through Early Access is 4.3☆ once in
production, putting them in a strong position to be favored in search and
discovery on Google Play.
Early Access also generates positive awareness for new titles. Alumni like
Habit and
were chosen as finalists in the "Standout Startup" category at the
Play Awards this year.
Omnidrone's game
Brawl became the first game to reach 1M testers. Hear more about their
experience in the video below.
Early Access and our work with the venture capital community has taught us a lot
about successful startups. We know you seek rapid iteration towards
product-market fit and are thirsty for the same kind of powerful testing,
analytics, and user feedback that Google's own product teams depend on to launch
successful products. When we know about your startup's plans
well in advance of your launch date, we can impact your trajectory by supporting
you through this understood process of iterative improvement.
Start on Android
Earlier this year we launched Start
on Android to identify the highest potential Android startups
earlier in their lifecycle and provide tools, perks, and guidance for those who
qualify. We've developed five components that have proven to be most impactful:
- Early Access participation enabling developers to recruit beta testers and
respond to their feedback before it impacts an app's rating on the Play Store. - Pre-launch user interface and user experience reviews from the Play
editorial team to help optimize onboarding experiences, material design
implementation, business model execution, and user engagement. - Access to Google perks like the Google Cloud Platform's
includes $20K in Google Cloud and Firebase credits, free 12 months of G Suite
for up to 10 employees, and other financial incentives. - Opportunities to participate in Google Play and other Google teams' programs
and special events including
Google for Entrepreneurs,
and Launchpad. - Guidance in the form of videos and content on startup best practices
available to all at
We are just getting started
We've already seen a lot of developer interest and received hundreds of public
applications and referrals from venture capitalists and other startup
influencers. Below are a few accepted startups:
- A Spark Capital backed company that allows students to solve math problems by
snapping a photo with their camera and using computer vision to return relevant
answers and related concepts and video.
- A Redpoint
portfolio company that layers AI on top of your email to help intelligently
manage your inbox.
- A Tinder-like app for connecting moms, funded by NEA and Felix Capital.
- A startup working on an "operating system for the human body".- Empower - An exciting new money management
app backed by Sequoia Capital, coming soon to Android.
We are incredibly proud of every developer we work with and grateful to our
friends within VC firms and the wider community who bring exciting new startups
to our attention.
Get in touch with us
If you would like to be part of Start on Android, complete the form at
developers who are planning to launch on Android soon, or have done so in the
past 6 months.
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