Nvidia is intensifying its early-stage engagement with India's AI startups, targeting founders even before formal company formation to secure future demand for its chips and software.
The chip giant has partnered with early-stage venture firm Activate, which launched a $75 million debut fund to back 25-30 AI startups, offering portfolio companies preferential access to Nvidia's technical expertise.
Expanding Inception and Key Partnerships
Nvidia's Inception program, already supporting over 4,000 startups in India, is expanding through collaborations with prominent VCs including Accel, Peak XV, Z47, Elevation Capital, and Nexus Venture Partners.
A new partnership with nonprofit AI Grants India, co-founded by Vaibhav Domkundwar and Bhasker Kode, aims to support more than 10,000 early-stage founders over the next 12 months.
In November 2025, Nvidia joined the India Deep Tech Alliance, alongside firms like Blume Ventures and Premji Invest, to provide strategic guidance to emerging deep tech startups.
Historical Shift and Growing Impact
Historically, Nvidia's engagement with Indian startups was lighter compared to the U.S., but this shift positions it to capture rising AI compute needs as companies scale.
India's emergence as a global AI powerhouse, highlighted by events like the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi attended by OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google, underscores the strategic importance of early relationships.
Activate founder Aakrit Vaish noted that early technical engagement helps Nvidia build curated access beyond its broad Inception program for high-potential teams.
These initiatives amplify India's AI ecosystem by accelerating talent development and infrastructure access amid fierce global competition for developers.
Looking ahead, Nvidia's deepened push promises to fuel India's deep tech innovation, driving economic growth and positioning the country as a key player in the global AI race.
With executive vice president Jay Puri recently meeting Indian researchers and partners, Nvidia signals long-term commitment to nurturing the next wave of AI leaders.
Andrew Lee
