Accel, a VC firm, unveils the second cohort of 10 path-breaking startups of its Atoms program. This program provides startups with $250,000 in non-dilutive capital, 1:1 mentorship by established Indian entrepreneurs and business leaders, and access to the distinguished global Accel community. Over two cohorts, Atoms has invested in 23 startups from a diverse group of companies - ranging from SaaS, B2B marketplaces, Web3, D2C, hardware, health and wellness. With the help of the Atoms program, these startups have raised close to $100mn from VCs and investors to aid their growth. 

The 10 startups of the second cohort are BRIK, DataBrain, DhiWise, Dpanda, Fishlog, Gut Wellness Club, Mello, Ripik, Upflowy, and Youshd. 

Accel launched Atoms in August 2021 to help turbocharge growth for early-stage startups. The selected startups undergo 100 days of intensive learning and development. The 100-day Atomic journey will guide founders toward building a scalable venture through workshops, setting OKRs, building a strong peer community, and much more. A dedicated 1:1 mentorship and guidance program helps early-stage founders build a strong business network, creating a platform to discuss and deliberate on any challenge they face. 

Cohort companies have access to a distinguished pool of mentors such as Nandan Reddy (Co-founder - Swiggy), Germain Brion (SVP - Corporate Strategy at Chargebee), Raghav Chandra (Co-founder at Urban Company), Harish Sivaramakrishnan (Head of Design at CRED),  and many more Indian entrepreneurs and business leaders guiding them on their startup journey. Founders and entrepreneurs from the Accel family, including Arpita Kapoor (Co-founder of Mech Mocha, acquired by Flipkart) , Nachiketas Ramanujam (Co-founder Creatorstack), and Rashie Jain (Co-Founder & CEO at Onco) facilitated deep and candid conversations among the founders of cohort companies. Additionally, they created a  zone where entrepreneurs could address concerns or challenges. 

As Indian founders work to create exceptional companies, Accel partners with them from the very beginning. 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, Infra.Market, Chargebee, Clevertap, Cure Fit, Musigma, Moneyview, Mensa Brands, Myntra, Moglix, Ninjacart, Swiggy, Stanza Living, Urban Company, Zetwerk, and Zenoti, among many others. 

Taking founders from zero to one is Accel's goal with Atoms.

Prayank Swaroop, Partner at Accel India said, “Our goal is to be the first partner for founders. The zero-to-one journey for an entrepreneur is the most challenging, as it sets the foundation for the company. Having been the VC firm of choice for many companies, Accel has a deep understanding of what founders need from the very beginning of their journey. Atoms was created to assist these founders in their journey to build successful companies.”

He further added, "We received applications from a varied set of founders, and the sheer diversity of these companies is a testament to their imagination, creativity, and acumen. As the leading early-stage investor in the ecosystem, we aim to provide expert guidance to startups even at the pre-seed stage."

Meghna Bansal – Co-founder, YouShd said, "The biggest benefit of the Atoms Cohort is the other founders you get to meet and learn from in the Cohort. The sessions and mentors were nice too and offered helpful advice and encouragement!"

Vishal Virani - Co-Founder & CEO, DhiWise said, "Accel Atoms has played a key role in the rapid growth and expansion of DhiWise. At one point in time, I struggled to raise funding. Today, with the guiding principles of the mentors at Accel Atoms, the company has investors upfront willing to invest in DhiWise. The partners and mentors are also very easily accessible, and approachable and offer great insights to solve problems. "