Bitget App
Trade smarter
Buy cryptoMarketsTradeFuturesEarnSquareMore
Google partners with Accel to search for India’s upcoming AI innovators

Google partners with Accel to search for India’s upcoming AI innovators

Bitget-RWA2025/11/25 07:15
By:Bitget-RWA

Google has joined forces with Accel in a unique initiative to discover and support India’s earliest AI startups through the Google AI Futures Fund, which was introduced earlier this year.

On Tuesday, Accel and Google revealed a collaboration to co-invest as much as $2 million per startup via Accel’s Atoms program, with each company providing up to $1 million. The 2026 batch will prioritize founders in India and the Indian diaspora who are developing AI solutions from the outset.

“The aim is to create AI solutions that can benefit billions in India, while also empowering AI innovations from India for the global stage,” said Prayank Swaroop, a partner at Accel, in an interview with TechCrunch.

India stands out as an attractive market, boasting the world’s second-largest base of internet and smartphone users after China, along with a strong pool of engineering talent. However, the country has yet to become a leader in advanced AI model development, with most breakthroughs still happening in the U.S. and China.

Momentum is beginning to build, though, as major players like OpenAI and Anthropic have recently set up offices in India, and international investors are increasing their early-stage investments. The expectation is that India’s large, mobile-centric population, growing cloud infrastructure, and lower software costs could help the country emerge as a significant AI hub—provided the ecosystem can turn its talent and market needs into pioneering research and products.

Swaroop noted that the investments will target a wide range of sectors, including creativity, entertainment, software development, and productivity. “The future of work here is broader, essentially encompassing SaaS and a variety of other applications,” he told TechCrunch. “It could even extend to foundational models.”

He added that the firms will also seek out areas where large language models are likely to progress over the next one to two years, and will look for Indian startups innovating in those spaces.

In addition to funding, founders will be eligible for up to $350,000 in compute credits for Google Cloud, Gemini, and DeepMind, as well as priority access to Gemini and DeepMind models, APIs, and experimental tools. The initiative will also offer guidance from Google Labs and DeepMind researchers, opportunities for co-development, monthly mentorship sessions with Accel partners and Google engineers, and immersion experiences in London and the Bay Area, including Google I/O. Marketing support will be available through Accel and Google’s global networks, and founders will gain entry to the Atoms founder community and Google’s AI builder ecosystem, according to the companies.

“India has a remarkable legacy of innovation, and we are confident its entrepreneurs will be at the forefront of the next wave of AI-driven global technology,” said Jonathan Silber, co-founder and director of the Google AI Futures Fund, to TechCrunch. “This marks the Futures Fund’s first collaboration of its kind worldwide, and we specifically chose India. Google has long been a dedicated partner in India’s digital transformation, investing billions over the years.”

This collaboration follows Google’s recent announcement of a $15 billion investment to establish a 1-gigawatt data center and AI hub in India. The company also launched a $10 billion digitization fund in 2020, which has supported companies like Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio, and Walmart-owned Flipkart. Just last month, Google teamed up with Reliance to provide millions of Jio users with complimentary access to AI Pro.

Google introduced the AI Futures Fund in May as a dedicated platform to invest in and collaborate with AI startups around the world. The fund has supported companies such as Replit and Harvey, and has also made direct investments in Indian startups like Toonsutra and STAN.

Silber told TechCrunch that Google will appear on the cap tables of startups funded through this partnership and will play a significant role, but he did not disclose how its equity stakes would compare to Accel’s.

“Our goal is to collaborate with a leading player in the field who has deep knowledge of the country, enabling us to connect with early-stage founders at a formative stage and make a real impact,” Silber explained.

While it’s likely that applicants will use Google products, both Silber and Swaroop emphasized to TechCrunch that startups are not required to exclusively use Gemini or any other Google offering.

“There are times when Google’s technology is the top choice. Other times, Anthropic or OpenAI might be better suited. So, we’re not imposing strict requirements to only use Google’s models,” Silber said. “What we want to do is explore unique integrations with these startups that make the most of Google’s AI technology.”

Launched in 2021, Accel’s Atoms platform for pre-seed and seed investments has supported over 40 startups, which together have raised more than $300 million in subsequent funding. This year, the program was expanded to include founders of Indian origin based abroad.

This latest partnership comes shortly after Accel joined forces with Prosus to co-invest in Atoms X, supporting early-stage Indian entrepreneurs developing large-scale solutions for the country’s masses.

Silber clarified to TechCrunch that Google does not view this partnership as a means to future acquisitions or to secure future cloud customers.

“We’re not acting as a sales team, so signing up new cloud clients isn’t our objective,” he said. “When it comes to KPIs, our main aim is to foster the next generation of AI innovation coming out of India.”

0

Disclaimer: The content of this article solely reflects the author's opinion and does not represent the platform in any capacity. This article is not intended to serve as a reference for making investment decisions.

PoolX: Earn new token airdrops
Lock your assets and earn 10%+ APR
Lock now!

You may also like

Bitcoin Updates: Texas Adds Digital Gold to State Reserves, Leading the Way in Crypto Protection

- Texas becomes first U.S. state to allocate $5M in public funds to Bitcoin via BlackRock's IBIT ETF, purchasing at $87,000 per BTC. - The temporary investment aims to diversify state reserves and hedge inflation, with plans for direct self-custody pending 2026 RFP. - Governor Abbott's June 2025 legislation established a $10M Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, positioning Texas as a crypto policy leader alongside gold and Treasuries. - While boosting ETF inflows and attracting institutional interest, critics warn

Bitget-RWA2025/11/26 03:56
Bitcoin Updates: Texas Adds Digital Gold to State Reserves, Leading the Way in Crypto Protection

Fed Faces Balancing Act Between Inflation and Employment Amid Political and Market Scrutiny

- Fed officials remain divided on a December rate cut amid conflicting inflation and labor market signals. - Boston Fed's Collins opposes cuts, citing persistent inflation risks despite recent 119,000 jobs gain and 4.4% unemployment. - Trump's tariff-driven policies face criticism for sustaining high prices, mirroring Biden's inflation challenges. - Crypto sector shows resilience with $4.6B Q3 VC funding, as regulators push for digital asset tax clarity under Trump . - Fed's December decision will balance

Bitget-RWA2025/11/26 03:56
Fed Faces Balancing Act Between Inflation and Employment Amid Political and Market Scrutiny

Buffett Embraces AI: Berkshire Gains $1.4 Billion from Alphabet Investment

- Berkshire Hathaway earned $1.4B profit from its Alphabet stake as shares surged 19.2% in November, marking its 10th-largest holding at $4.33B. - Buffett's shift to tech stocks reflects Alphabet's AI/cloud expansion, including Gemini 3 AI model and $100B AI infrastructure fund. - Alphabet's $34% Google Cloud growth and $2B Turkey data center partnership highlight its enterprise AI dominance ambitions. - Market optimism boosts Alphabet's $4T valuation despite regulatory risks, with BNP Paribas upgrading sh

Bitget-RWA2025/11/26 03:56
Buffett Embraces AI: Berkshire Gains $1.4 Billion from Alphabet Investment

Bitcoin Updates Today: Buddy's BTC Wager: The Ongoing Struggle in Crypto Between Downward Adjustments and Upbeat Expectations

- Prominent crypto investor Buddy reopens $18.63M BTC long position amid market volatility, signaling renewed confidence in Bitcoin's long-term potential. - Institutional adoption grows as KindlyMD holds 5,398 BTC ($681M) and Harvard increases ETF stake to $443M, while Japan/UAE tighten crypto regulations with 2026 liability rules and DeFi oversight. - BTC rebounds above $88K amid Fed rate cut speculation but remains 30% below October 2025 highs, with analysts divided on $60K-$200K 2025 price forecasts. -

Bitget-RWA2025/11/26 03:56
Bitcoin Updates Today: Buddy's BTC Wager: The Ongoing Struggle in Crypto Between Downward Adjustments and Upbeat Expectations