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Google India has opened applications for the 2026 cohort of its “Google for Startups Accelerator: India” program, aimed at supporting early-stage artificial intelligence (AI) startups.
The three-month initiative is equity-free and targets Indian startups working on advanced AI technologies, particularly those addressing large-scale, real-world challenges.
The program is open to AI-first startups ranging from Seed to Series A stages. This year’s cohort will focus on four key areas: Agentic AI, which involves reasoning systems and automated workflows; Multimodal AI, including tools that generate or process audio, video and images; Physical AI, such as robotics and smart manufacturing solutions and Sovereign AI, which refers to specialized and localized AI models.
According to the announcement, the accelerator seeks to support startups building solutions tailored to India’s diverse needs or developing technologies for global industrial use. Selected participants will receive technical and business support without giving up equity.
The program includes collaboration with Google experts and access to advanced AI models such as Gemini, Gemma, Imagen, Veo and Lyria. Startups will also receive mentorship from teams across Google DeepMind, Cloud, Health and Android. Additional benefits include access to cloud infrastructure like TPUs, AI tools and Google Cloud credits, subject to eligibility.
To help startups meet defined goals, the accelerator will provide structured guidance through weekly tracking and support from dedicated managers. The initiative aims to help participants achieve measurable outcomes in product development, technology and business growth.
The 2026 accelerator program is scheduled to begin in late June with a one-week in-person bootcamp in Bengaluru. It will conclude with a Demo Day in October, where participating startups are expected to showcase their work and progress.
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