Lightspeed launches ‘India ascends’ program to back early-stage deeptech startups

Multi-stage venture capital firm Lightspeed Ventures has launched an accelerator program, India Ascends 2026. The program aims to support founders under 25 years old who are building R&D-first tech startups, with a focus on areas such as robotics, quantum, space, energy, artificial intelligence, and biotechnology. Lightspeed has partnered with Anthropic, groq, Google Cloud, and AWS for this initiative.The program will select 12-15 ideas for a two-day session in Bengaluru, where participants will receive approximately USD 100,000 in support. Subsequently, 3-4 winners will be chosen for venture funding, with individual investments ranging from USD 200,000 to USD 3 million.Additionally, these winners will be granted nearly USD 500,000 in non-dilutive credits and grants from the partner brands. Applications for India Ascends 2026 will close on January 12, 2026, and the winners will be announced on February 6.