Venture firms Accel and Prosus launch a new cohort in India, supporting startups tackling undefined markets in science-led fields.
Accel and Prosus announced the selection of six startups for their first joint cohort in India, targeting 'off-the-map' ideas where markets are undefined and progress is challenging to measure. The cohort emphasizes science-led themes such as healthcare, climate, space, and longevity, with startups chosen from more than 2,000 applications.
Selected Startups and Their Focus
The startups include Praan, based in Mumbai, which develops air infrastructure systems for improved indoor air quality using purification, sensing, and automated controls. Praan has previously raised funding from investors like Social Impact Capital and Aera VC.
QOSMIC, located in Bengaluru, is working on optical communication systems to enhance data transfer between satellites and Earth, aiming to increase bandwidth and reduce latency in space networks.
Ethereal Exploration Guild, also in Bengaluru and known as EtherealX, is building reusable orbital launch vehicles to cut the cost of space access. The company recently completed a $20.5 million Series A round led by TDK Ventures at an $80.5 million valuation.
Dognosis focuses on detecting multiple cancers from breath by combining dogs' sense of smell with robotics and AI; its product, BreatheEasy, involves patients breathing into a mask for lab analysis.
Ferra is creating a home-based strength-training system that automatically adjusts resistance to help users maintain mobility as they age. A sixth startup, operating in stealth mode, is developing brain-computer interfaces for direct brain-to-system communication.
As part of the program, Accel and Prosus are co-investing in each startup, with Prosus matching Accel's contributions in amounts from $500,000 to $2 million. The investment structure defers some capital to reduce early dilution for founders, tailored for startups with long development cycles.
Pratik Agarwal, a partner at Accel, stated that these companies need more than capital; they require time for breakthroughs. Ashutosh Sharma, head of the India ecosystem at Prosus, noted that progress in these ventures often follows a non-linear path dependent on technical achievements rather than steady growth.
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