A year ago the Google Glass gurus had no interest in the aging space.

I guess this is Ageism day at Senior Housing Forum . . .

A year ago I attended AgeTech West in San Jose (which is happening again next week in Seattle where I hope to see you) and one of the Google Glass inventors put on an amazing show about the wonders of Google Glass . . . mostly for people who were under age 30. I could see some great potential uses for seniors and senior care providers. I stood up and asked what they were doing in the senior space.

The answer was emphatic. They had no interest. 

While the presentation was really cool, it was downright insulting to come to an event that is all about serving seniors and senior living providers and to then tell them they didn’t count.

Changing Wind

It looks like Google has figured out there is some money to be made in this space. This is good news. They have money, brilliance and creativity to do amazing things for seniors. Here is the announcement in its entirety:

Google for Entrepreneurs and Aging2.0 Partner to Support Innovators Working in Aging and Long-Term Care

November 11, 2014 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

SAN FRANCISCO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Aging2.0, a global innovation network and startup accelerator program, has partnered with Google for Entrepreneurs (GFE) to extend the reach of the Aging2.0 network and amplify the support of entrepreneurs in aging and long-term care.

“Aging2.0 is doing exceptional work to nurture and showcase startups in the aging space”

“The partnership with Google for Entrepreneurs provides resources to help us grow the Aging2.0 ecosystem and furthers our mission to accelerate innovation to improve the lives of older adults around the world,” said Katy Fike, Ph.D., co-founder of Aging2.0. “Google’s support of the network and involvement with the Aging2.0 Academy program enhances our ability to equip and nurture the top startups in aging and long-term care.”

The Google for Entrepreneurs partnership helps support the Aging2.0 Academy, a year-long program for the top startups in aging and long-term care. In addition to structured support and strategic introductions, Academy companies now gain access to Google training, mentorship opportunities, and Google products, including a $100K Google Cloud Platform for Startups offer. The next Academy cohort will kick off on November 20, 2014 at Galvanize, Aging2.0’s new headquarters, which is one of Google’s 24 global Tech Hub partners.

Over the past two years, Aging2.0 has hosted 75 events in 15 cities across 6 countries, establishing themselves as the premier platform for startups in aging and long-term care. Aging2.0 has already hosted events at Google’s Campus London and Google Berlin. Now, through the GFE partnership, Aging2.0 is able to tap into Google’s network of Tech Hubs to host events and expedite the rollout of local Aging2.0 chapters around the world.

“Aging2.0 is doing exceptional work to nurture and showcase startups in the aging space,” said Mary Grove, Director of Google for Entrepreneurs. “We are excited to partner with them to cultivate this vibrant community of entrepreneurs focused on this important and often overlooked demographic.”

About Aging2.0

Aging2.0 is a global organization on a mission to accelerate innovation that will improve the lives of older adults around the world. Aging2.0 connects, educates and supports innovators through our Global Network, Academy, Global Innovation Summit and our Venture Fund. Within two years, Aging2.0 has become the premier platform for discovering and cultivating innovations focused on aging and long-term care. To learn more about Aging2.0, visit aging2.com or follow us on Twitter (@aging20).

About Google for Entrepreneurs

Google for Entrepreneurs provides financial support and the best of Google’s resources to dozens of coworking spaces and community programs across 125 countries. We also create Campuses: physical hubs where entrepreneurs can learn, connect, and build companies that will change the world. To learn more about Google for Entrepreneurs, visit google.com/entrepreneurs or follow us on G+ (+GoogleForEntrepreneurs) and Twitter (@GoogleForEntrep).