Accel and Prosus have selected six “off-the-map” startups for their inaugural batch in India

Accel and Prosus have selected six startups for their first joint venture in India, to support what they describe as “off-the-map” ideas – companies that are solving problems where markets are ill-defined and where progress is difficult to measure.

The inaugural collection includes healthcare, climate, space and longevity, reflecting a focus on science-led themes with long development timelines and uncertain commercial paths. The six startups were selected from more than 2,000 applications.

These are the selected startups:

• Brian develops air infrastructure systems to improve indoor air quality using filtration, sensing and automated controls. The Mumbai-based startup has previously raised funding from investors including Social Impact Capital, Aera VC and Avaana Capital, as well as strategic investors and family offices.
• QOSMIC develops optical communications systems to transfer data between satellites and the Earth. The Bengaluru-based startup is working to increase bandwidth and reduce latency in satellite networks.
• The Ethereal Exploration Guild, also known as EtherealX, is developing reusable orbital launch vehicles to lower the cost of access to space. The Bengaluru-based startup has raised its latest $20.5 million Series A round led by TDK Ventures and BIG Capital at a valuation of $80.5 million.
• The company “Dognosis” works to detect many types of cancer through breathing, using dogs’ sense of smell along with robotics and artificial intelligence. Its product, BreatheEasy, involves patients breathing into a mask, with the sample later analyzed in a laboratory to detect markers linked to cancer.
• Vera builds an at-home strength training system to help people maintain mobility as they age. The system automatically adjusts resistance to match the user’s performance.
• A sixth startup, working stealthily, is developing brain-computer interfaces to enable direct communication between the human brain and external systems.

The programme, which was announced in October, aims to support startups outside the industry’s usual playbook, rather than those that are easier to fund, the companies said.

As part of the program, Accel and Prosus co-invest in each startup, with Prosus matching Accel’s investment, and checks ranging from $500,000 to $2 million. Companies use a structure that minimizes early dilution for founders, with a portion of capital deferred so that equity is given up at a later stage.

The companies say the model is designed for startups with long development cycles. “They need time to achieve these milestones more than just capital,” said Pratik Agarwal (pictured above), partner at Accel.

These companies often follow a non-linear path, according to Ashutosh Sharma (pictured above, right), head of India ecosystem at Prosus. He added that progress depends on achieving major technical breakthroughs rather than steady growth.