Accel and Google unveil first cohort of AI startups for India-focused accelerator programme

Accel and Google have announced the first cohort of AI startups for their India-focused accelerator programme, Atoms AI Cohort for 2026. The programme aims to support early-stage startups building AI solutions for India and other markets. The selected startups, K-Dense, Dodge AI, Persistence Labs, and two others, will receive up to $2 million in co-investment and up to $350,000 in compute credits across Google Cloud, Gemini, and Google DeepMind resources.

The Atoms AI Cohort for 2026 saw more than 4,000 applicants, with the selected startups focused on building AI solutions across enterprise systems, voice automation, entertainment, scientific research, and industrial automation. The programme kicked off in Bengaluru on March 11 and has teams spanning Singapore and Silicon Valley.

The selected startups are:

• K-Dense: Developing an AI co-scientist that can help researchers overcome bottlenecks and accelerate discovery across life sciences, physics, and chemistry.
• Dodge AI: Working on autonomous AI agents focused on the maintenance of SAP systems and modernisation of large-scale ERP environments.
• Persistence Labs: Building high-fidelity voice AI agents catered to large-scale call centre operations.
• Two other startups, whose names were not disclosed.

The programme aims to support founders in India and Indian diaspora building AI solutions and position India as a key player in the global startup ecosystem. With its deep engineering talent and the world's second-largest internet and smartphone base after China, India is a key player in the global startup ecosystem.

The AI Cohort 2026 represents a diverse group of founders tackling significant 'white spaces' in the industry, from scientific research to enterprise operations. Together, these companies represent the next wave of AI innovation emerging from India and the global founder ecosystem, where AI is increasingly becoming a core layer of scientific, enterprise, and industrial infrastructure.