Avinya Accelerator

Avinya is ACSEL's accelerator for early-stage AI startups based in Karnataka. It runs for sixteen weeks, takes ten startups per batch, and ends in a Demo Day. Applications for Cohort 3 opened on 7 September 2026 and close on 10 October 2026, with orientation on 3 November 2026 and Demo Day in February 2027.

What you get

• Seed investment for every startup in the cohort in the first phase, released against milestones, described by ACSEL as a grant or an equity-linked instrument
• Further investment for the best performers in the cohort, plus personalised introductions to investors matched to your stage and industry
• Mentorship pods with dedicated mentors drawn from IIT alumni, entrepreneurs, domain experts and strategists, regular one-on-one strategy sessions, and peer circles across the cohort
• An industry learning track you choose, with pathways in FinTech, HealthTech and Climate Tech, plus expert workshops on fundraising, scaling and product development
• A resource toolkit covering legal, financial and marketing support, and curated datasets to build with
• Optional co-working space in Bengaluru, allocated by availability, and chances to pilot your product with partner corporations and institutions
• Operational support with administrative work, and a place in the ACSEL Alumni Network afterwards

Who can apply

• Startups based in Karnataka only
• Registered legal entity in India, working on artificial intelligence
• MVP to early revenue, pre-seed to seed, with at least an MVP, working prototype or demonstrable proof of concept
• Teams of two to ten people with at least two full-time founders, committed full-time for the programme
• Revenue optional; applicants are asked to be open to an equity model
• ACSEL applies extra filters for women-led startups, novel business models, climate-positive solutions, and founders from underrepresented geographies such as North Karnataka

How selection works: ACSEL scores startups on five pillars: founding team, market opportunity, product and service innovation, business model and revenue strategy, and impact potential. For Cohort 3, twenty applicants are shortlisted from the application form answers before further assessment.

How to apply: Fill the accelerator application form on ACSEL's site, after reading and agreeing to the rules and regulations shown above it. Answer every question in full; the shortlist is drawn from the form alone. Questions can go to info@acsel.in.