Accel Atoms
Accel Atoms is Accel's pre-seed program for founders in India and Indian-origin founders anywhere. It runs themed cohorts: Atoms AI (with Google's AI Futures Fund in 2026) invests up to $2M per startup, and Atoms X (with Prosus, for frontier tech) invests up to $1M. Programs typically last about 3 months and are for companies that are pre-product or pre-revenue and have raised under $2M.
At a glance
Accel Atoms key facts
- Investment
- $2M
- Deal terms
- Atoms AI: up to $2M from Accel (co-invested with Google AI Futures Fund for the 2026 cohort), via equity or convertible note, plus up to $350K in Google Cloud/Gemini compute credits. Atoms X: up to $1M in equity. Ownership percentage not published. Eligibility: raised under $2M, pre-product or pre-revenue, incorporated by selection.
- Duration
- About 3 months (varies by edition)
- Headquarters
- Bengaluru, India
- Cohort locations
- Bengaluru, India
- Stage
- idea, pre-seed
- Sectors
- general, ai, deep tech
- Application cycle
- Rolling applications, considered for the next themed cohort
Verified November 4, 2026 against the sources below. Terms change; confirm on the official site before applying.
Timing
The Atoms AI Cohort 2026 deadline was January 26, 2026; 5 startups were picked from about 4,000 applicants and started in Bengaluru in early 2026. The first Atoms X cohort (6 startups, with Prosus) was announced in March 2026. Applications are rolling; no date published for the next cohort.
See all upcoming accelerator deadlines
Notable alumni
- Posha
- Zingroll
- K-Dense
- Dodge AI
FAQ
Applying to Accel Atoms
- How much does Accel Atoms invest?
- Accel Atoms's standard deal: Atoms AI: up to $2M from Accel (co-invested with Google AI Futures Fund for the 2026 cohort), via equity or convertible note, plus up to $350K in Google Cloud/Gemini compute credits. Atoms X: up to $1M in equity. Ownership percentage not published. Eligibility: raised under $2M, pre-product or pre-revenue, incorporated by selection.
- When is the Accel Atoms application deadline?
- Application cycle: Rolling applications, considered for the next themed cohort. The Atoms AI Cohort 2026 deadline was January 26, 2026; 5 startups were picked from about 4,000 applicants and started in Bengaluru in early 2026. The first Atoms X cohort (6 startups, with Prosus) was announced in March 2026. Applications are rolling; no date published for the next cohort.
- Where is Accel Atoms based?
- Accel Atoms is headquartered in Bengaluru, India.
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