Nvidia is intensifying its efforts to connect with India’s burgeoning artificial intelligence startup scene at its earliest stages. The chipmaker announced a series of new partnerships this week aimed at establishing relationships with AI founders even before their companies are formally launched. This strategic move aims to position Nvidia as a key technology partner for India’s rapidly growing AI developer community.
One of the key initiatives involves a collaboration with venture firm Activate, which plans to back approximately 25 to 30 AI startups through its debut $75 million fund. Activate will also offer its portfolio companies preferential access to Nvidia’s technical expertise, fostering closer ties early in their development.
This renewed push follows other recent efforts by Nvidia to strengthen its presence in India, including collaborations with nonprofit AI Grants India and several venture capital firms focused on the region. The company’s activities coincide with India hosting its AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, an event attended by global AI leaders such as OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google. While Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang was scheduled to attend, he was unable to do so due to unforeseen circumstances. Instead, EVP Jay Puri led a senior delegation that engaged with AI researchers, startups, and partners on the ground.
India has become one of the fastest-growing markets for AI development outside the U.S., making it a strategic focus for Nvidia’s expansion. By engaging with startups early in their lifecycle, Nvidia aims to secure long-term relationships as these companies scale and demand more AI computing power.
Aakrit Vaish, founder of Activate, noted that Nvidia’s previous engagement with Indian startups was relatively limited compared to the U.S. but is now shifting toward deeper collaboration at the inception stage. Activate’s model involves working with technical teams months before their companies are officially formed, providing guidance and access to Nvidia’s expertise as they grow. Its backers include prominent investors such as Vinod Khosla, Aravind Srinivas, Shailendra Singh, and Vijay Shekhar Sharma.
Nvidia’s rationale is clear: forming early relationships with promising AI startups increases the likelihood they will rely on Nvidia’s hardware and software as they expand. The company’s existing Inception program supports over 4,000 startups in India, and recent partnerships with firms like Accel, Peak XV, Z47, Elevation Capital, and Nexus Venture Partners aim to further identify and fund emerging AI ventures. Nvidia has also partnered with AI Grants India, founded by Vaibhav Domkundwar and Bhasker Kode, to support more than 10,000 early-stage founders over the next year.
Moreover, Nvidia’s outreach in India continues to grow. In November 2025, the company joined the India Deep Tech Alliance—a consortium of U.S. and Indian investors—to provide strategic and technical guidance to startups.
Vaish explained that Activate’s partnership with Nvidia offers a curated layer on top of the broader Inception program, helping to identify high-potential technical teams and providing them with more direct access to Nvidia’s engineering resources.
This intensified activity reflects the fierce competition among global tech giants to attract AI developers in India, which has become one of the fastest-growing pools of tech talent outside the United States.
