• Accel and Google to co-invest up to $2 Million in early AI startups
• Selected founders to receive capital, cloud access and technical mentorship
• First global collaboration under Google’s AI Futures Fund

Accel and Google have joined forces to support India’s early-stage AI ecosystem with a new 2026 AI Cohort under Accel’s Atoms program. Through this partnership, both firms will co-invest up to $2 million in promising AI startups founded in India or by Indian diaspora entrepreneurs building for global markets. The investment will be routed through Google’s AI Futures Fund, marking the first collaboration of its kind worldwide.

Startups selected for the cohort will receive equity funding along with access to Google Cloud, Gemini models, DeepMind tools, and hands-on mentorship. Accel partner Prayank Swaroop said the goal is to “create a ready stack of resources” so founders can scale globally from day one. Over the past four years, the Atoms program has supported 40 startups that have together raised more than $300 million in follow-on funding.

Swaroop noted that Accel will invest up to $1 million in each startup, with Google matching the amount. He added that the program is designed to recognize the growing strength of Indian AI talent, especially in fields like robotics and healthcare where the country has large data pools and strong testing infrastructure.

Also Read: Google Launches 'Startup School' to Build AI-Powered Startups

Jonathan Silber from Google DeepMind said, the initiative offers a powerful mix of capital, compute, and direct support from Google’s top technical teams and Accel’s business experts. Both companies emphasized that there is no cap on the number of startups they may fund, and ownership percentages will vary based on each deal.

The program follows a “bespoke model”, meaning Accel and Google will work closely with every startup to help them build, grow and navigate early-stage challenges with personalized support.

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