Google Partners with Accel to Roll Out New AI Startup Cohort in India

Google’s AI Futures Fund is partnering with Accel Atoms to establish a new India-focused pre-seed cohort aimed at accelerating AI-first startups. With access to Google’s advanced models, expert support, and investment opportunities, the programme is designed to shape India’s next wave of deep-tech founders.

A New Push for India’s Early-Stage AI Ecosystem

Google has long positioned India as a priority market for digital expansion, and its new collaboration with Accel Atoms signals a deeper push into the country’s early-stage AI ecosystem. The partnership targets founders building at the 0-to-1 stage — a critical gap where technical talent is abundant but structured support is often limited.

Jonathan Silber, Co-Founder and Director of AI Futures Fund, underscores this direction:
“At the AI Futures Fund, we believe India’s founders will play a leading role in defining the next era of global technology.”

The joint programme brings Google’s AI research capabilities and Accel’s pre-seed expertise into a single track, reflecting a combined strategy to back high-potential ideas before they reach institutional scale.

What the Cohort Offers: From Models to Market Access

Selected startups gain early access to Google DeepMind’s advanced suite of models, includingGemini, Imagen, and Veo. The offering is structured to help teams build AI-first product experiences from day one.

The track includes:

• Model Access: Early access to Google’s most advanced models before broader release.

• Technical Mentorship: Support from Google and Accel teams across engineering, product, design, and GTM.

• Cloud Credits: Assistance through Google Cloud credits and dedicated technical advisors.

• Investment Pathways: An opportunity to seek equity investment from both Google and Accel.

The structure mirrors programmes that blend capital, infrastructure and technical depth: a model increasingly favoured for deep-tech acceleration.

Impact on India’s Pre-Seed Landscape

India’s startup ecosystem has matured significantly at the Series A+ level, yet the pre-seed AI segment still requires targeted support. The new cohort addresses this by reducing early friction founders face: compute access, technical guidance, and early capital.

The move also aligns with the broader shift toward AI-native product design, where startups integrate model capabilities into workflows from inception rather than bolting AI on later.

For founders, the most immediate advantage is the opportunity to work on cutting-edge AI well before it becomes widely accessible, a factor that could influence product velocity and differentiation.

A Cohort Designed for Speed and Scale

The Accel Atoms x AI Futures Fund cohort begins in February 2026, and applications are now open. Founders can apply through the Accel India portal. The programme aims to support a select group of pre-seed startups, giving them access to tools and knowledge typically reserved for later-stage teams.

In practice, this could accelerate how quickly India’s early-stage AI startups bring validated products to market, especially in areas like generative interfaces, vertical-specific AI applications, and developer tooling.

The partnership signals a strong vote of confidence in India’s engineering talent. It also reflects a broader industry trend: global AI funds increasingly view India not just as a user market but as a creator market.

For India’s pre-seed founders, the collaboration between Google’s AI Futures Fund and Accel Atoms offers a clear message: the next decade of AI innovation is expected to be shaped by markets where talent density meets scalable infrastructure. India sits firmly in that intersection.