Accel and Prosus team up to back early-stage Indian startups

Accel and Prosus have formed a new investment partnership to support early-stage Indian startups from their inception, focusing on founders developing large-scale solutions that can address systemic challenges in sectors like automation, energy transition, internet services, and manufacturing. This collaboration marks Prosus’s first foray into formation-stage investing, with both firms co-investing from the earliest days. The partnership expands Accel’s Atoms X program, which targets “leap tech” startups aiming to create innovative Indian models rather than simply adapting global business ideas. The initiative seeks to provide substantial early capital to startups tackling population-scale problems, helping them avoid multiple rounds of fundraising before achieving meaningful traction. Prosus has committed to matching Accel’s investments in each company, with initial checks ranging from $100,000 to $1 million, potentially increasing over time. Unlike traditional late-stage investments, Prosus is less focused on immediate equity stakes and more on identifying the next major Indian tech successes akin to Swiggy or Meesho. The