Google teams with Accel to boost India’s AI ecosystem
Google and Accel have launched a joint initiative that will invest up to US$2 million per start-up, aiming to fuel India’s early-stage AI innovation.
Google has partnered with VC firm Accel to support early-stage AI start-ups in India, marking the first time its AI Futures Fund has collaborated directly on regional venture investment.
Through the newly created Atoms AI Cohort 2026, selected start-ups will receive up to US$2 million in funding, with Google and Accel each contributing up to US$1 million. Founders will also gain up to US$350,000 in compute credits, early access to models from Gemini and DeepMind, technical mentorship, and support for scaling globally.
The collaboration is designed to stimulate India’s AI ecosystem across a broad set of domains, including creativity, productivity, entertainment, coding, and enterprise automation. According to Accel, the focus will lie on building products tailored for local needs, with potential global reach.
This push reflects Google’s growing bet on India as a global hub for AI. For digital-policy watchers and global technology observers, this partnership raises essential questions.
Will increased investment accelerate India’s role as an AI-innovation centre? Could this shift influence tech geopolitics and data-governance norms in Asia? The move follows the company’s recently announced US$15 billion investment to build an AI data centre in Andhra Pradesh.
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