Google announces applications for Startups accelerators in India

ANI May 13, 2025 404 views

Google has launched applications for its AI First Accelerator program in India, targeting Seed to Series A startups. The initiative provides mentorship, cloud resources, and funding opportunities, with a June 30 deadline. Last year’s participants secured $61M in funding and expanded market reach. India’s AI sector is projected to exceed $17B by 2030, aligning with the country’s digital economy goals.

"We are excited to open applications for the Google for Startups Accelerator: AI First program in India" – Google Official Statement
Google announces applications for Startups accelerators in India
New Delhi, May 13: Google on Tuesday announced that applications are now open for the Google for Startups Accelerator: AI First India 2025 program.

Key Points

1

Supports Seed to Series A AI startups with mentorship

2

Focuses on Agentic AI and Multimodal AI innovations

3

Offers Google Cloud credits and Gemini model access

4

Last year’s cohort raised $61M in funding

According to the official statement by Google, this initiative is aimed at supporting India's growing AI ecosystem by helping startups in the Seed to Series A stages. Startups focused on Agentic AI and Multimodal AI are especially encouraged to apply. The deadline for applications is June 30.

It said "As a part of our continued efforts to support this vibrant ecosystem and contribute to the broader goals of the IndiaAI Mission, with the support of MeitY Startup Hub, we are excited to open the applications for the Google for Startups Accelerator: AI First program in India".

India's tech scene is expanding quickly, driven by skilled professionals and a strong economy. Artificial Intelligence is being adopted rapidly, with the government making it a priority through efforts like the IndiaAI Mission.

Google also noted that according to projections, India's Generative AI market is expected to exceed USD 17 billion by 2030. AI is also set to play a key role in helping the country achieve its USD 1 trillion digital economy target by 2028.

Through this accelerator program, Google stated that the selected startups will get access to top-tier mentorship from Google teams including DeepMind, Cloud, Android, Play, Ads, and others. Startups will also receive one-on-one support based on their goals and progress, guided by dedicated startup success managers.

Participants will have access to free Cloud TPUs, Cloud credits (if eligible), and the latest AI tools and models from Google. They will also get hands-on support in integrating advanced AI models such as Gemini, Gemma, Imagen, and Veo to overcome technical challenges.

Last year, the tech giant noted that the accelerator program had a major impact. Participating startups raised over USD 61 million in funding and gained access to the Google Cloud Marketplace, helping them reach new markets and improve their products.

It said "Last year's Google for Startups Accelerator: AI First India program significantly impacted participating startups, resulting in over USD 61M in cumulative funding, Google Cloud Mrketplace integration for expanded market access, and notable product improvements".

Google hopes to support and empower the next wave of AI-driven startups through this year's program.

Reader Comments

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Rahul K.
This is fantastic news for our startup ecosystem! 🇮🇳 Google's accelerator can be a game-changer for Indian AI startups trying to compete globally. Just hope the selection process is transparent and gives equal opportunities to startups from smaller cities too, not just Bangalore/Hyderabad.
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Priya M.
$61M funding for last year's batch is impressive! But I wonder how many of these startups actually became sustainable businesses? AI is hot right now but we need more than hype - real solutions for Indian problems like agriculture, healthcare and education.
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Arjun S.
Applied for my agri-tech startup! 🤞 We're using AI for soil analysis and crop prediction. The Cloud TPU access alone would save us lakhs in infrastructure costs. Hope Google looks beyond typical SaaS startups and supports those solving grassroots problems.
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Neha T.
Good initiative but I'm concerned about data sovereignty. Indian startups getting trained on Google's models - will our data remain in India? With the IndiaAI Mission, shouldn't we prioritize homegrown solutions over foreign tech giants?
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Vikram J.
The mentorship from DeepMind teams is the real gold here! Indian engineers are world-class but often lack product-market fit skills. If this program can bridge that gap, we might see the next Zoho or Freshworks emerge from this batch.
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Sunita R.
Hope they reserve some seats for women-led startups! 👩‍💻 The tech gender gap is real and AI shouldn't become another boys' club. Also, startups working in Indian languages deserve special consideration - that's where the next billion users will come from.

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Google for Startups AI First Accelerator IndiaAI Mission MeitY Startup Hub Generative AI