Accel, Prosus Form Early-Stage Startup Partnership India

Accel and Prosus have formed a new investment partnership to co-invest in early-stage Indian startups, focusing on companies addressing large-scale, systemic challenges such as automation, energy transition, internet services, and manufacturing. This collaboration expands Accel's Atoms X program, which supports "leap tech" startups aiming to build original Indian models rather than adapting global ones, with initial investments typically ranging from $100,000 to $1 million, and combined funding reaching up to $2 million. The partnership aims to provide patient capital to founders developing population-scale solutions, allowing them to avoid heavy dilution and secure follow-on funding more easily, while signaling confidence to the broader ecosystem. India’s vast digital economy, with over a billion internet users and strong government-backed digital infrastructure, provides fertile ground for these ventures. For Prosus, this marks their first move into formation-stage investing in India, complementing their growth-stage investments and increasing exposure to the country's early-stage startup ecosystem. Both firms hope their alliance will catalyze more investment and ambition within the Indian startup landscape, targeting long-term growth rather than short-term transactions.