Over the next two years, Google will sponsor a series of conferences, social mixers and other events for Twin Cities technology entrepreneurs.
The search engine powerhouse announced the initiative Wednesday in Minneapolis, saying it will partner with CoCo, a local company that provides meeting places for Twin Cities techies.
"The reason we chose Minneapolis is we've gotten to know the community here at CoCo and we really think the start-up community is thriving here," said Mary Grove, director of global entrepreneurship for Google.
Google plans to host a large event every three months, and two to four smaller, monthly gatherings.
Google will provide funding for the program and offer attendees Google products and opportunities to meet and speak with the tech giant's employees. Classes and other events will be available online.