Google, Accel to share cost of investing in early-stage Indian AI startups

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Google and Accel have joined forces to support new AI startups in India through a program that provides founders with capital, robust AI tools, and direct assistance from experts.

The new program will provide young companies with early access to powerful models, cloud support, and in-depth technical assistance from both teams, enabling them to build robust AI products from the outset.

Google and Accel make a plan to fund new AI teams in India

Google and Accel have launched a significant program to support new AI startups in India in building high-quality products from the outset. This is the first time Google has collaborated with another company in a global program like this under its AI Futures Fund, and it demonstrates the company’s commitment to supporting young founders in India and beyond.

The program will target the citizens of India and Indian-origin founders worldwide who build AI products for their country and others. Both companies claim the program is long-term because they believe India has highly skilled individuals and a substantial market for new tech companies. 

Google and Accel will provide each startup with up to $2 million, with no limit on the number of startups they can support. However, they will start with at least 10 companies that demonstrate significant potential in AI for coding and software, content creation, and digital experiences. Each startup will also receive up to $350,000 in cloud and computing credits, as well as early access to Google’s powerful AI models, including Gemini and DeepMind. 

The program will also connect founders with engineers, researchers, and business experts at Google and Accel to help them find answers to challenging questions, learn how to design more effective AI systems, and plan their businesses for rapid growth. Both Google and Accel will own shares in the startups they fund, but they haven’t specified exactly how much, as their primary goal is to help the companies grow, not control them. 

India is one of the most significant internet markets in the world, and a suitable location for AI companies to test and expand their products, given the country’s nearly one billion online population. Google is also investing $15 billion to build a new AI data center in Andhra Pradesh, and the company’s AI Futures Fund has already supported more than 30 companies, including startups like Toonsutra, which creates webtoon content. 

At the same time, Accel has its Atoms program, which has been running in India for four years and has backed 40 companies that later raised over $300 million in additional funding. Experts even say the AI market in India can grow to $17 billion by 2027, and the total spending on AI worldwide can go over $2 trillion by 2026. 

New Cohort connects founders with top engineers and AI researchers

The new program will connect startups with engineers, researchers, product managers, and go-to-market specialists from both Google and Accel. They will also have monthly meetings with Accel partners and receive one-on-one support from both companies to address questions, resolve problems, and make informed decisions.

Startups will collaborate with Google Labs and DeepMind research groups to explore new ideas and test their products using some of the world’s most advanced AI systems.

The Atoms AI Cohort 2026 runs for three months, and the application will utilize Google’s Gemini 2.5 Pro model to help founders complete forms and share information quickly, allowing them to focus on building their products.

Applications will be open until January 26, 2026. Startups that applied between September and November 2025 don’t need to reapply, as the system will automatically consider them. 

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