Google opens applications for AI accelerator program in India, startups can apply by June 30

Google has opened applications for the 2024 edition of its Google for Startups Accelerator: AI First program in India. The initiative, launched with support from the MeitY Startup Hub, is aimed at supporting early-stage Indian startups working in artificial intelligence (AI), especially in the areas of Agentic AI and Multimodal AI .The program is part of Google's broader effort to contribute to India’s growing AI ecosystem and support the government’s IndiaAI Mission, which seeks to build a $1 trillion digital economy by 2028. According to industry estimates, India’s Generative AI market is projected to exceed $17 billion by 2030 .Applications are now open for Seed to Series A startups developing core AI products, agent-based solutions, multimodal use cases (such as reasoning or thinking models), or foundational models. Startups can apply for the program until June 30 .Selected startups will receive mentorship from Google teams including DeepMind, Health, Cloud, Android, Play, Ads, and Developer X, along with one-on-one guidance from industry experts. Google will also provide cloud credits, free access to Cloud TPUs, and hands-on support for using advanced tools such as Gemini, Gemma, Imagen, and Veo .“We are particularly focused on empowering startups leveraging Agentic AI and Multimodal AI, which are poised to play a key role in the next wave of AI adoption,” Google said in its announcement.The program also offers tailored support through weekly check-ins and product strategy planning with dedicated startup success managers.Last year’s program had a strong impact. Participating startups raised over $61 million in funding. Companies like SpotDraft used the Gemini API to cut costs by 80%, improve accuracy by 30%, and reduce latency by 70%. Others, like Kroop AI, improved customer engagement and pricing for its deepfake detection platform, while Merlin AI, a productivity app with 2 million users, added long-context chat and document handling capabilities using Gemini.Google said it hopes to build on that success and support the next generation of AI startups in India through this year’s accelerator.