Dutch investment firm Prosus and venture capital firm Accel are set to invest $1 million each into startups joining Accel’s new Atoms X accelerator, aiming to back companies at the earliest stages of growth, according to media reports.
Launched in 2021, Atoms is Accel’s pre-seed accelerator designed for founders of Indian origin across the world. Earlier this year, Atoms introduced a new ‘X’ track focused on so-called ‘leap tech’ ventures, targeting startups aiming to break new ground in technology, business models, or product innovation.
For the uninitiated, leap tech refers to a segment that goes beyond deep tech.
Together, Accel and Prosus plan to dole out cheques in the range of $200,000-$2 million and back ventures across fields such as energy, healthcare, education, and transportation, among others.
Through its Atoms programme, Accel has so far supported more than 40 startups, with over 30% successfully securing additional funding from outside investors and establishing themselves as leaders in their respective sectors.
According to PitchBook and Bain data, startups in this segment worldwide attracted over $80 billion in venture funding in 2024. Of that, India contributed around 6-8% in terms of deal volume.
