Accel introduces Atoms 3.0 with sector-focused thematic cohorts for early-stage companies

• Accel Atoms is a community-led platform for pre-seed and seed-stage startups to access funding, gain dedicated hands-on mentorship, and coaching from top operators and founders.
• The program was launched 21 months ago. Since then, Atoms has invested in 24 companies across two cohorts. These companies have since raised a total of over $160mn in funding
• Atoms 3.0 will have two theme/sector based cohorts - Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Industry 5.0.
• Applications for Atoms 3.0 will open by the end of May.

JAKARTA, Indonesia, May 10, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Accel, one of India's top VC firms, today unveiled the new avatar of its Atoms program - Atoms 3.0, which will have two theme/sector based cohorts - Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Industry 5.0.

The redesigned Atoms 3.0 program will offer personalised learning, sector-specific mentors, and up to $500,000 in seed investment for each selected startup. Additionally, these cohort startups will get access to Accel's growing global community.

Atoms is constantly evolving and looking to improve the program for founders. With this new approach, the program aims to foster a community of like-minded founders in the same domain who can collaborate and help each other succeed.

Atoms 3.0 will have two theme/sector based cohorts:

1. Artificial Intelligence (AI): The rise of AI is as pivotal as the inventions of electricity, internet, and the cloud. Foundational models and AI/ML toolchains are undergoing rapid innovation. Atoms is looking for companies that are using AI innovatively for business applications as well as companies that are building development tools for the AI ecosystem. Accel has invested in AI companies in the past like Spyne.ai, DubDub, Mihup, Effectiv, Scale.ai, Akridata, etc.
2. Industry 5.0: The fifth industrial revolution focuses on redefining how traditional industries use technology. While Accel has actively invested in this space (Detect Technologies, Haber Water, and Ripik), Atoms is committed to nurturing and enabling this industrial revolution.

Each cohort will consist of a small number of companies, and will have its own duration and methodology for helping these companies prepare to succeed. Closed groups enable better collaboration, interaction, exchange of ideas, and collective growth, providing a more personalised learning journey. An industry-specific cohort enables the marshalling of resources, customer connections, and industry experts to provide deeper assistance to the companies involved.

Over two cohorts, Atoms has invested in 24 startups ranging from SaaS, B2B marketplaces, Web3, D2C, hardware, health & wellness, to hardware and e-commerce. Since joining the Atoms program, these startups have further raised over $160mn, with Accel leading or participating in follow on rounds.

Prayank Swaroop, Partner at Accel said, "Accel strives to partner with companies at the very early stages to support them in becoming successful. Zero-to-one is the most challenging journey for an entrepreneur, as it sets the foundation for the business - that is what Atoms 3.0 hopes to accomplish for our founders. Based on feedback from our founders in cohorts 1 and cohort 2 - we launched Atoms 3.0 as a thematic cohort program. The idea is companies targeting a similar industry and at a similar stage of evolution get to learn from each other a lot.  'Perpetual Beta' is the name of the game with Atoms - we hope to further improve the Atoms program in the future, thematic cohorts are our own PMF experiments in startup building."

Accel partners with Indian founders to create exceptional companies from the very start. The VC firm has been the first, or among the earliest partners to many other category-defining start-ups in India such as BookMyShow, Browserstack, Flipkart, Freshworks, FalconX, and Infra.Market, Chargebee, Clevertap, Cure Fit, Musigma, Moneyview, Mensa Brands, Myntra, Moglix, Ninjacart, Swiggy, Stanza Living, Urban Company, Zetwerk, and Zenoti, among many others.

Read our blog to learn more about the redesigned Atoms 3.0 program (Link)

For more information on the Atoms program, visit (Link)

About Accel

Accel is a global venture capital firm that aims to be the first partner to exceptional teams everywhere, from inception through all phases of private company growth. Accel has been operating in India since 2008, and its investments include companies like BookMyShow, Browserstack, Flipkart, Freshworks, FalconX, Infra.Market, Chargebee, Clevertap, Cure Fit, Musigma, Moneyview, Mensa Brands, Myntra, Moglix, Ninjacart, Swiggy, Stanza Living, Urban Company, Zetwerk, and Zenoti, among many others. We help ambitious entrepreneurs build iconic global businesses. For more, visit  www.accel.com or https://twitter.com/Accel_India.