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Google has promised US$800 million is support of business and organizations that have been impacted by the crisis.
The aid will come in the form of cash, advertising credit and cloud-services. That’s according to CEO Sundar Pichai, who said a majority of that money would go to the World Health organization and more than 100 public agencies around the world.
Almost US$340 million of that will go towards small and medium-sized businesses in Google’s network, that will be taking a financial hit as people stay home due t the virus.
“We hope it will help to alleviate some of the cost of staying in touch with their customers,” Pichai said in a post on Google’s blog.
US$20 million worth of services will also be made available to academic institutions who are either tracking the virus, or trying to develop a vaccine.
Google will also match donations that its employees make to organizations of their choice.
“Together, we’ll continue to help our communities — including our businesses, educators, researchers, and nonprofits — to navigate the challenges ahead,” Pichai said.
Google has been previously working with others to help ramp up the production of protective gear, such as face masks for healthcare providers. Other departments inside Google – such as Verily and X – are currently providing engineering and supply support to healthcare professionals.
It is also working with companies to increase production of ventilators.
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