Google and Accel jointly announced the launch of the world's first "AI Futures × Atoms" collaborative fund, targeting Indian and overseas Indian founders. Each project will receive up to $1 million from both parties, totaling $2 million, along with up to $350,000 in Google Cloud/Gemini/DeepMind computing power and model credits.

Investment Focus and Themes  

- The first cohort is locked for 2026, focusing on "Day One AI" products: creative tools, entertainment, programming, SaaS, and potential foundational models are all eligible;  

- Predicting the directions where large models may break through in the next 12-24 months, and proactively seeking corresponding teams in India.

Supporting Resources  

- Technology: Monthly collaboration with Google Labs/DeepMind research groups, early access to unreleased APIs;  

- Network: Dual mentors from Accel partners and Google technical leaders, London + Bay Area immersion (including I/O tickets);  

- Market: Shared global PR channels from Accel and Google, access to the Atoms founder community and the Google AI Builder ecosystem;  

- No mandatory binding: Invested companies can freely choose other models such as OpenAI, Anthropic, etc. Google only seeks "unique integration and co-creation".

Background and Objectives  

- India has the world's second-largest internet and smartphone base, but lacks players at the cutting-edge model level;  

- Google recently announced a $1.5 billion Indian data center and a 1GW AI Hub. This fund is considered a pre-emptive move for the ecosystem;  

- KPIs are not cloud contracts or acquisitions, but "letting the next wave of AI innovation emerge from India".

Application and Timeline  

- Open through the Atoms official website starting today, with the first batch of 10-15 startups expected to be announced in Q1 2026;  

- Subsequent annual rolling admissions, with the initial fund pool of approximately $50 million, jointly funded by the Google AI Futures Fund and Accel.