9 Best Startup Accelerators in India (2026)

What each program backs, how to apply, when the next intake is, and which ones take solo founders

By Founder Compass · Updated 29 October 2026

At a glance

Intakes and rules: each program's own page, 29 October 2026. Funding amounts in the entries are the programs' own figures.

Every program below runs in 2026, checked on its own website. We dropped programs whose pages showed no current class or dates (such as 100X.VC and SINE at IIT Bombay), and we leave out equity percentages and deal terms, which change by cohort.

1. Surge by Peak XV: seed money for day-zero founders

Surge is Peak XV Partners' early-stage program: "Seed Funding for Day-Zero Founders." Surge 12, announced in September 2026, has 18 startups across AI, robotics, space, consumer, healthcare, music and fintech, more than half based in India (TechCrunch).

• Stage and sector: day zero to seed; no single sector.
• What you get: $500K to $5M of seed capital (the ceiling rose from $3M with Surge 12), operator help with hiring, product, go-to-market and PR, and sector communities.
• How to apply: the Apply button on the Surge site; no deadline is published.
• Watch-outs: not India-only (offices in the US, India, Singapore and the UAE), and the page says nothing about program length or format.
• Solo founders: not addressed.

2. Accel Atoms: pre-seed program for Indian and Indian-origin founders

Accel's "pre-seed scaling program." In 2026 it runs an AI Cohort, announced with Google, and Atoms X for idea- and prototype-stage founders.

• Stage and sector: raised under $2M and "pre-product or pre-revenue." The AI Cohort is for AI; the form also lists Bharat, SaaS, consumer, fintech and healthtech.
• What you get: up to $2M (AI Cohort) or $1M (Atoms X), plus partner perks; Atoms X lists "100+ perks worth more than $5M." Cohorts typically run three months.
• How to apply: apply.accel-atoms.com, on a rolling basis: "you can apply whenever you're ready."
• Watch-outs: format and duration "may vary," and the FAQ doesn't say whether sessions are in person.
• Solo founders: yes for Atoms X. Open to founders in India and Indian-origin founders anywhere.

3. Antler India: AI residency in Bengaluru

A two-week, in-person residency in Bengaluru for AI-first teams that are pre-product or pre-revenue, with funding decisions in about three weeks.

• What you get: INR 4 Cr (about $470K) of investment, a one-time INR 2L expense grant, office space, weekly office hours with Antler's partners, and AI perks.
• How to apply: the apply link on Antler's India page. The next residency "will be announced soon." Antler also runs Embark, a 4-6 week sprint in San Francisco for founders in India building AI-first for the US; Embark 4 began in October 2026.
• Watch-outs: AI-first only for now, and the residency wants "strong teams committed full-time."
• Solo founders: Embark considers them but says: "We strongly recommend applying with a co-founder, ideally a CEO & CTO pair." Antler also runs Before Day Zero, an invite-only community for people looking for a cofounder.

4. Google for Startups Accelerator: India

Google's three-month, equity-free, hybrid accelerator for AI-first startups headquartered in India. The 2026 class ran June to September: 20 startups picked from 2,500 applications, starting with a bootcamp at Google's Bengaluru campus (Inc42).

• Stage and sector: seed to Series A, with traction; core AI applications, agentic AI or foundational models.
• What you get: mentoring from Google teams, trusted-tester access to Google AI products, a technical project with Google experts, product credits, and Cloud credits (separate application).
• How to apply: the 2026 round closed on 19 April 2026; register interest on the program page.
• Watch-outs: not for idea-stage teams, and cohorts are small.
• Team rule: "all founders (CEO and CTO) and appropriate team members" must be available for every program element.

5. NSRCEL at IIM Bangalore: free idea-stage programs

IIM Bangalore's incubator. Launchpad's page asks for no link to the institute.

• Launchpad: sector-agnostic, for ideas, prototypes or MVPs. Five months, mostly online plus two short bootcamps in Bangalore, about 6-8 hours a week, no fee. The top two get up to Rs 5 lakh; everyone gets a kit of partner credits.
• Women Startup Program (with Kotak BizLabs): an online entry track for women 18+ with an idea, then pre-incubation and an eight-month hybrid incubation. "Largely free of cost," no equity, and an INR 10 lakh grant for selected ventures.
• How to apply: Launchpad's 2026 cohort is closed; fill in the interest form for the next one (it isn't the application). The Women Startup Program entry track says "Apply Now."
• Watch-outs: five selection steps, ending with a mentor-panel pitch.
• Solo founders: yes for both.

6. T-Hub: Hyderabad's hub of sector programs

T-Hub runs many programs rather than one accelerator: semiconductors, spacetech, mobility, healthcare, sustainability and AI.

• Kotak BizLabs Season 3: a 6-8 month accelerator for early-revenue, DPIIT-registered startups. Grants up to ₹30 lakh, no fees, no equity. Applications closed on 6 October 2026; watch for the next season.
• MATH Nuage: a 12-month virtual program for AI/ML and deep-tech startups at any stage, with mentoring, cloud and GPU resources and demo days.
• How to apply: each program's page on t-hub.co (Nuage: online form, committee review, interview).
• Watch-outs: Nuage charges Rs 1,00,000 plus 18% GST and lists no 2026 dates; BizLabs needs paying customers already.
• Team rule: Nuage asks for "commitment from CTO or key technical leaders to participate fully."

7. IIMA Ventures: themed programs from IIM Ahmedabad

IIMA Ventures (formerly CIIE.CO) runs many themed programs instead of one batch, including IIMAvericks for IIM Ahmedabad students, a paid People and Culture Accelerator, a venture studio and the North East Growth Lab 2026.

• Stage and sector: set per program; its themes are deep tech, digitalization and climate tech.
• Example: the North East Growth Lab 2026 (with SAP) offered grants of up to INR 5 lakh to 10-12 early-stage startups from the eight northeastern states, and a three-day bootcamp in Guwahati. It closed on 15 July 2026.
• How to apply: the apply button on each program page.
• Watch-outs: eligibility differs; several programs need DPIIT registration and a registered company.
• Solo founders: not addressed; the North East Growth Lab scores "a strong founding team."

8. PedalStart: a pre-seed accelerator with a fixed cheque

PedalStart says it will "lead the round, write a $150K cheque, and take you from idea to your next raise in 3 to 6 months."

• Stage and sector: idea and pre-seed; no sector named.
• What you get: the $150K cheque, mentoring, investor access and operational support.
• How to apply: the Apply Now button on its site.
• Watch-outs: no cohort dates, eligibility rules or sector focus on the page; ask first.
• Solo founders: not addressed.

9. Y Combinator: the global option Indian founders apply to

YC isn't in India, but it is open to "any startup, anywhere in the world," with no need to incorporate or get a visa first.

• What you get: $500,000 per company and "$12M+ in free credits and deals."
• Next intake: Winter 2027. Apply by 2 November 2026, 8pm PT, for a decision by 11 December; the batch runs January to March.
• Watch-outs: three months in person in San Francisco.
• Solo founders: "We regularly accept solo founders," the FAQ says, adding: "you're more likely to succeed with a co-founder."

Do accelerators want a cofounder?

Several say so in their rules. Google wants the CEO and the CTO at every session. Antler "strongly" recommends a CEO-CTO pair. MATH Nuage needs a committed CTO. The North East Growth Lab scores the founding team. YC accepts solo founders but still advises a cofounder; Paul Graham put "single founder" first in The 18 Mistakes That Kill Startups back in 2006.

Solo founders do get in: Atoms X, NSRCEL's programs and YC take them. But a partnership formed last month gets tested fast in a two-week residency or a three-month batch, in front of investors. For local routes, see our guide to finding a cofounder in India.

Find your cofounder before the deadline: Foundinity

An accelerator judges the team. Foundinity helps you find a cofounder you can actually build with, before you apply.

• Preferences + a deeper assessment. You state your preferences, then an assessment captures how you work: working style, ambition, commitment, vision and values, alongside skills. A multi-trait algorithm "built on established psychological compatibility models" ranks the result, so you see compatible people instead of hundreds of random profiles.
• Compatibility breakdown. Every match shows where you align and where you differ, so a gap in ambition or commitment shows up before a program's interview does.
• A 10-day clock on every match. Matches turn into conversations instead of sitting unanswered, which matters when a deadline like YC's 2 November is weeks away. You book intro calls right where you match.
• Private profile. Only compatible members can see your profile, so you can look without announcing it.

Cost (checked October 2026): free to get started: 5 likes a week, up to 3 active matches and up to 3 profile saves. Plus is $5 a week or $15 a month (₹300 / ₹1,000 in India): 15 likes a week, unlimited active matches, everyone who liked you, the full compatibility score and breakdown, and up to 5 profile saves.

Try Foundinity

How to choose an accelerator in India

1. Match your stage. Idea or prototype: NSRCEL Launchpad, Antler, Atoms X, PedalStart. Pre-seed or seed: Accel Atoms, Surge. Seed to Series A: Google. Revenue already: Kotak BizLabs.
2. Match your sector. Antler, Google and the Atoms AI Cohort are AI-first in 2026; T-Hub and IIMA Ventures run sector programs.
3. Check the format. NSRCEL and MATH Nuage are mostly online; Antler is in Bengaluru; YC and Embark are in San Francisco.
4. Read the team rules. If a program asks for a CEO and a CTO, apply as a pair. Building in AI? See our guide to finding a cofounder for an AI startup.
5. Diary the dates and prep the paperwork. Google closed in April, the Growth Lab in July, BizLabs in October; Atoms is rolling. Several grant programs need DPIIT recognition and a registered company.

Sources (read 29 October 2026): Foundinity · Surge by Peak XV · TechCrunch: Surge 12 (28 Sep 2026) · Accel Atoms · Accel Atoms FAQs · Accel: Atoms AI Cohort 2026 · Antler India · Antler Embark · Google for Startups Accelerator: India · Inc42: 2026 cohort (9 Jul 2026) · NSRCEL · NSRCEL Launchpad · NSRCEL Women Startup Program · T-Hub · T-Hub Kotak BizLabs Season 3 · MATH Nuage · IIMA Ventures current programs · North East Growth Lab 2026 · PedalStart · YC Apply · YC FAQ · Paul Graham: The 18 Mistakes That Kill Startups (2006). Funding figures and cohort sizes are each program's own unless a news source is named.