AcceleratorEquity-free

Google for Startups Accelerator: India

Remote

Google's equity-free, AI-first accelerator for Indian Seed-to-Series-A startups, offering Cloud TPU credits instead of cash.

Location:
Remote
Duration:
13 weeks

What you need to qualify

  • Startups demonstrating traction, ideally between Seed and Series A stage
  • Based or headquartered in India
  • Building a scalable product or service with a significant total addressable market and a defensible growth model
  • Deeply technical, preferably leveraging technologies like machine learning and AI
  • Building core AI products, such as agentic, multimodal or reasoning applications, or foundational models with potential Google AI use cases
  • Past the idea stage, with customer validation and market traction
  • Founders and the relevant team members available to join all program sessions

Eligibility

Eligible stages
All stages
Countries
Global, subject to the provider’s eligibility and approval

How to apply

  1. 1

    Check that your startup fits the criteria

    The program is for Seed to Series A funded, AI-first startups headquartered in India that are building core AI applications or agentic AI solutions and are past the idea stage with customer validation.

  2. 2

    Submit a complete application in the open window

    Applications for the 2026 cohort closed on April 19, 2026. Google states that applications left incomplete after the deadline are not eligible, so the form has to be finished before the window closes.

  3. 3

    Interview and pitch

    Google reviews eligible applications with an expert panel and shortlists 40 to 60 startups for interview and pitch sessions that assess the team, the problem, the solution and scalability.

  4. 4

    Selection board review

    A selection board reviews the shortlisted startups and produces the final list. Selected startups receive a program contract before the cohort is announced.

  5. 5

    Register interest while applications are closed

    Google collects sign-ups for updates about future accelerator programs at https://rsvp.withgoogle.com/events/google-for-startups-accelerator-updates

Frequently asked

No. Google states that Google for Startups Accelerator: India is equity-free for all participating startups. All founders, meaning the CEO and CTO, and the appropriate team members must be available to join all program elements.

Seed to Series A funded, AI-first startups headquartered in India that build core AI products, in particular agentic, multimodal, thinking and reasoning or other generative AI applications, or foundational models with potential Google AI use cases. Startups should be past the idea stage, with customer validation and market traction.

Completed applications are reviewed for eligibility, an expert panel shortlists 40 to 60 startups for interview and pitch sessions that evaluate the team, problem, solution and scalability, and a selection board then reviews the shortlist to produce the final cohort.

There is no cash investment. Participants get equity-free support for the duration of the program, dedicated mentoring from Google teams, invitations to technical bootcamps, access to Google experts, early access to Google AI products through Trusted Tester and EAP benefits, and Google product credits for eligible startups. Cloud credit eligibility is set out at https://cloud.google.com/startup/apply

The accelerator runs for three months, from June to September 2026 for the current cohort, and is hybrid, with a mix of virtual and in-person sessions.

No. The program page states that applications are now closed. The 2026 cohort closed applications on April 19, 2026 and Google has not published the next window.
AI

Browse more like this: Startup accelerators in India

Related programs

We have not been able to confirm a deadline for this one. Check the official page before you start.

Do I qualify?

1 thing decides this one. Check yourself against them before you spend time on the form.

Stage
Seed, Series A+
Where it runs
Remote, so your country is not a blocker (based in India)
What you give up
No equity stated
Deadline
Not confirmed. Check the official page

That is the rulebook. What we cannot show you here is whether your startup clears it, how this ranks against the other programs you qualify for, and what to fix if you do not.

Check what I qualify for

Five questions, about a minute, no account needed.

Last verified against the official page. Report an error

Want these ranked for your startup?

Create a free profile and StartupFlow AI will score every program by fit and explain why each one matches you.

Get matched for free