NEW DELHI— Google has picked 20 Indian startups for its latest three-month “AI First” accelerator program, chosen from a pool of more than 1,600 applicants nationwide, the company announced Friday.
The initiative, called Google for Startups Accelerator: AI First in India, kicked off this week and is designed to help early-stage companies — from seed to Series A — scale AI-driven solutions across sectors such as healthcare, finance, climate, and education.
Founders in the program will receive access to Google Cloud infrastructure, Gemini models, technical mentorship, and go-to-market guidance. “At Google, we see startups as our co-creators in building the future of AI with scalable, impactful, and responsible AI solutions that will set new standards for the industry,” said Darren Mowry, Vice President of Global Startups at Google Cloud.
The accelerator aligns closely with India’s national AI strategy. “The strategic focus of this cohort is aligned with the IndiaAI Mission,” said Abhishek Singh, Additional Secretary at the Ministry of Electronics and IT and CEO of the IndiaAI Mission.
Startups in the new class include companies building agentic AI platforms — where AI creates AI — as well as a healthtech venture developing a webcam-based autism screening tool. Participants will be paired with Google engineers and industry mentors to refine product roadmaps, address scaling challenges, and ensure responsible AI practices.
The cohort’s curriculum dedicates 45 percent to Agentic AI, 30 percent to multimodal AI solutions, and 25 percent to foundational and Responsible AI.
India’s generative AI ecosystem has expanded rapidly, growing 3.7 times in the past year to become the world’s second-largest GenAI startup hub, according to Google. (Source: IANS)
