NVIDIA and Qualcomm Join $2 Billion India Deep Tech Alliance to Accelerate AI Startup Ecosystem

NVIDIA, Qualcomm join U.S., Indian VCs to help build India's next deep tech startups

NVIDIA and Qualcomm Ventures have joined a growing coalition of U.S. and Indian investors backing India's deep tech startups. The group launched in September with more than $1 billion in commitments, timing that aligns with India's new ₹1 trillion (around $12 billion) research and development initiative. NVIDIA has joined the coalition as a strategic technical advisor, without any financial commitments, while Qualcomm Ventures has come on board alongside six Indian venture firms, bringing additional capital commitments totaling more than $850 million. India is home to more than 180,000 startups and over 120 unicorns. In its early years, much of the ecosystem closely mirrored Western business models before evolving into SaaS companies that serve global clients, especially those in the U.S. In recent years, however, India's focus has shifted to building ventures that tackle harder, infrastructure-scale problems -- from launching satellites and electrifying transportation to designing semiconductors. The Indian government has sought to accelerate this shift as major economies race to secure technological sovereignty. Yet capital for such ventures remains scarce, as they require a longer gestation period than traditional sectors and most VCs favor proven, lower-risk models. In September, Silicon Valley- and India-based Celesta Capital spearheaded the launch of the India Deep Tech Alliance (IDTA) to bridge that gap, bringing together seven major U.S. and Indian investors -- Accel, Blume Ventures, Premji Invest, Gaja Capital, Ideaspring Capital, Tenacity Ventures, and Venture Catalysts. The latest addition includes Indian venture firms Activate AI, Chiratae Ventures, InfoEdge Ventures, Kalaari Capital, Singularity Holdings, and YourNest Venture Capital. The coalition aims to invest capital and provide mentorship and network access to Indian deep-tech startups over the next five to ten years. It also plans to collaborate with the Indian government on its policy initiatives, including the recently introduced Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) scheme. "It's a coalition of the willing, wanting to support the development of the Indian deep tech ecosystem," Sriram Viswanathan, founding managing partner of Celesta Capital and founding executive council member of the IDTA, said in an interview. Approved by the Indian cabinet earlier this year and rolled out by Prime Minister Narendra Modi this week, the ₹1 trillion RDI scheme will fund projects in areas such as energy security and transition, quantum computing, robotics, space tech, biotech, and AI through long-term loans, equity infusions, and allocations to deep-tech funds of funds. The venture firms participating in the alliance plan to leverage the initiative to back Indian-domiciled deep-tech startups. "This is, in a way, the most seminal moment where the Indian government's action will drive creation and the formation of many of these deep tech companies and will be supported by a number of VCs in India that are really looking at developing this ecosystem," Viswanathan told TechCrunch. "There is a turning point in the Indian entrepreneurial ecosystem in favor of deep tech, and that's what we're all excited about." The alliance has brought in NVIDIA to provide strategic and technical guidance to its members and emerging startups. The U.S. chipmaker -- whose market value has surged amid the global boom in AI -- will advise on best practices for integrating NVIDIA's AI and accelerated computing platforms, offer technical talks and training through the NVIDIA Deep Learning Institute, and contribute to policy dialogues between industry and the government to advance India's deep-tech capabilities, the alliance said in a statement. Although NVIDIA will not participate financially, Vishal Dhupar, NVIDIA's managing director for South Asia, said the company will share technical insights and scalable computing resources with Indian startups in the coalition. "NVIDIA's support is a pretty significant validation of the ecosystem, and them joining the IDTA is an endorsement of our collective objective that there is an opportunity for India to start seeing a burgeoning growth of this ecosystem," Viswanathan told TechCrunch. Unlike NVIDIA, Qualcomm is joining the alliance with an investment focus. The San Diego-based chipmaker made its first India investment in 2008, with early bets including Google Maps rival MapmyIndia, which went public in late 2021. Qualcomm and Celesta also backed Indian drone maker IdeaForge, which has been a publicly listed company since 2023. However, Qualcomm's participation will extend beyond capital, said Rama Bethmangalkar, India managing director at Qualcomm Ventures. The firm plans to help startups connect with its portfolio companies, partner networks, and internal teams within Qualcomm, he told TechCrunch. "If you are like minded and other VCs have allocated certain portion of their resources, dollars, time, and network, it helps each other and then collectively to work with the government, to be aligned with what the government is thinking on certain areas, whether it is quantum, semiconductors, AI, or emerging technologies, it is very important to be part of that group," he said. That said, the success of the IDTA remains to be seen. Viswanathan described the alliance as a "loose coalition of the willing," noting that participating investors continue to run their own programs. "We're collaborating to share knowledge, to share deal flow, and all of that," he said when asked about the progress since the alliance's launch in September. It is also unclear how much of the capital each participant will contribute. "We're just collectively estimating what the total commitment is to this ecosystem," Viswanathan said. "This alliance is not a fund. There's no obligation, no allocation, if you will, of any deal. If Rama finds a deal, he will do it. If Rama finds it appropriate to bring in other investors, he'll share the deal with other investors that he thinks are relevant for that investment." India's deep-tech funding rose 78% year-over-year to $1.6 billion in 2024, according to a report by IT industry body Nasscom and global consulting firm Zinnov released in April. While the growth is promising, the capital raised still trails far behind that in developed markets, especially the U.S. The alliance may help increase that figure, but more importantly, it is expected to draw global attention -- and, in turn, more investors and corporate venture funds -- to India's startup ecosystem. "What we need are role models to begin with," said Bethmangalkar. "People are going to jump in. Entrepreneurs are going to get the confidence capital... In ten years, you'll start seeing these as the companies listed on the main boards of our exchanges -- deeply science- and tech-oriented firms."

Nvidia deepens India footprint with $2 billion deep tech alliance to mentor AI startups

Co-founder and CEO of Nvidia Jensen Huang spoke to journalists during a trip to Beijing in July. Nvidia will help train and mentor emerging deep tech startups in India as a founding member of a $2 billion investment alliance, deepening its presence in the world's third-largest startup ecosystem. The U.S. chipmaker has joined the India Deep Tech Alliance (IDTA) -- a group of private equity and venture capital investors pledging $2 billion for deep tech investments -- as a founding member. Deep tech startups are an umbrella term for emerging companies in semiconductors, space, AI, biotech, robotics, and energy. The world's most valuable company will offer technical talks and training through its Nvidia Deep Learning Institute to emerging startups in India. Nvidia wants to "provide guidance on AI systems, developer enablement, and responsible deployment, and to collaborate with policymakers, investors, and entrepreneurs," Vishal Dhupar, Nvidia's managing director of South Asia, said. Nvidia did not disclose any financial investment, timeline, or training targets, and did not immediately respond to a CNBC request for comment. "Nvidia's depth of expertise in AI systems, software, and ecosystem-building will benefit our network of investors and entrepreneurs," said Sriram Viswanathan, founding executive council member of the IDTA. He told CNBC that the pace of innovation is accelerating in India and there could be a "significant number of Indian deep tech companies of global repute" in the next five years. The Indian government is also actively encouraging research and innovation in the deep tech space through major initiatives, including over 100 billion rupees ($1.1 billion USD) under its AI Mission and a separate 1 trillion rupees ($11.2 billion) Research, Development and Innovation Scheme Fund targeting deep tech companies. On Monday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the country will host the AI Impact Summit in February next year. The event is likely to see the participation of heads of state and top policymakers, along with business leaders such as Jensen Huang, chief executive officer of NVIDIA, and Demis Hassabis, CEO of Google DeepMind. Nvidia's commitment in India coincides with rising global interest in India's AI market, where OpenAI counts the country as its second-largest user base. U.S. rivals are also deepening ties: Google recently pledged $15 billion to build an AI hub in the southern city of Visakhapatnam.

India Deep Tech Alliance Commits ₹7,500 Cr, NVIDIA Comes Onboard | AIM

NVIDIA will guide members and startups on using AI and accelerated computing technologies. The India Deep Tech Alliance (IDTA) has announced its second wave of members and fresh capital commitments exceeding ₹7,500 crore (over $850 million). The move strengthens efforts to boost India's early-stage deep technology sector and aligns with the government's ₹1 lakh crore Research, Development, and Innovation (RDI) Scheme. The new members include Activate AI, Chirate Ventures, InfoEdge Ventures, Kalaari Capital, Qualcomm Ventures, Singularity Holdings VC, and YourNest Venture Capital. The Alliance, launched in September 2025 by Sriram Viswanathan, the founding managing partner of Celesta Capital, at SEMICON India, with initial commitments of $1 billion (₹1 lakh crore). This brought together investors and corporates to support Indian startups in deep tech areas such as AI, robotics, space, semiconductors, and biotechnology. IDTA also confirmed NVIDIA as a founding member and strategic technical advisor. The company will guide members and startups on using AI and accelerated computing technologies to advance the country's deep tech capabilities under the RDI Scheme. It will also provide technical talks and training via the NVIDIA Deep Learning Institute (DLI). Vishal Dhupar, managing director of the South Asia region for NVIDIA, said, "Through this engagement, we endeavour to provide strategic guidance on AI systems, developer enablement, and responsible deployment, and to collaborate with policymakers, investors, and entrepreneurs to help advance transformative solutions." Viswanathan, who is also an IDTA executive council member, said NVIDIA's participation marks a milestone. "NVIDIA's depth of expertise in AI systems, software, and ecosystem-building will benefit our network of investors and entrepreneurs." Existing members include Accel, Blume Ventures, Celesta Capital, Gaja Capital, Ideaspring Capital, Premji Invest, Tenacity Ventures, and Venture Catalysts. The Alliance aims to facilitate long-term investments, mentorship, and policy engagement, while fostering collaboration among investors, founders, and the government. Quinn Li, senior VP at Qualcomm Technologies and global head of Qualcomm Ventures, said, "We see AI-led intelligent computing as the foundation for the next wave of innovation." Sanjeev Bikhchandani, founder at InfoEdge, added, "Now is India's AI and deep tech moment. Talent, demand, and policy are getting aligned, and we hope several science and engineering breakthroughs will go on to become profitable businesses." The IDTA aims to provide capital access, technical mentorship, and market linkages to help Indian founders build globally competitive companies.

Nvidia, Qualcomm Join $850 Million Push Backing India's Deep-Tech Startups - Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL), Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:AMD)

Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ:NVDA) and Qualcomm's (NASDAQ:QCOM) investment arm joined Indian and U.S. investors backing the South Asian country's deep-tech startups, as the India Deep Tech Alliance (IDTA) expands with new members and fresh capital commitments exceeding $850 million. Activate AI, InfoEdge Ventures, Chirate Ventures, and Kalaari Capital are among the other new investors joining the IDTA, which was launched in September with a $1 billion initial commitment. Founding Member Nvidia To Train, Mentor Startups Deep tech startups are an umbrella term for emerging companies in semiconductors, space, AI, biotech, robotics, advanced manufacturing, energy, and climate. As a founding member, Nvidia will mentor and offer technical talks and training through its Nvidia Deep Learning Institute to emerging startups in India. Details of financial commitments were not disclosed. "Nvidia's depth of expertise in AI systems, software, and ecosystem-building will benefit our network of investors and entrepreneurs," said Sriram Viswanathan, founding executive council member of the IDTA. Members of the group will voluntarily invest capital and foster mentorship and network access over the next 5-10 years, and engage with the Indian government around the $12 billion initiative it launched just days ago, to spur research and development. See also: AMD CEO Lisa Su Expects OpenAI Partnership To Generate Over $100 Billion In Revenue And 'Significantly Accelerate' AI Business India Ramps Up AI Investments Nvidia's bet on India -- home to the world's third-largest startup ecosystem- comes amid rising global interest in the country's AI market, where ChatGPT-owner OpenAI has found its second-largest user base. U.S. rivals are also deepening ties, with Google (NASDAQ:GOOGL) recently pledging $15 billion to build an AI hub in the southern city of Visakhapatnam. On Monday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the country will host the AI Impact Summit in February next year, with top policymakers and industry executives Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, expected to attend. Qualcomm's AI Bet Qualcomm's investment arm, Qualcomm Ventures, is also investing in the IDTA at a time when the smartphone chip giant has been trying to reinvent itself for the AI era. In a bid to take on rivals like Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD), the company recently launched two new AI chips to mark its entry into the fast-growing data center market. Qualcomm's stock jumped 11% on the news. The company is set to report fourth-quarter results after markets close on Wednesday. Investors will also look for commentary on the company's timelines for monetizing its significant investments in artificial intelligence. Shares in Qualcomm closed down 4.36% at $172.84 on Tuesday, and are up 19.5% so far this year. READ NEXT: Zohran Mamdani Wins NYC Mayor Race, Abigail Spanberger Becomes Virginia's First Female Governor In Historic Democratic Win Image via Shutterstock AMDAdvanced Micro Devices Inc$238.20-8.26%OverviewGOOGLAlphabet Inc$275.25-2.99%NVDANVIDIA Corp$195.00-5.74%QCOMQualcomm Inc$172.11-4.76%Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs

Nvidia joins India Deep Tech Alliance to back AI startups By Investing.com

Investing.com-- NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) will join the India Deep Tech Alliance- a group of private equity and venture capital investors that will invest in and mentor Indian tech startups, the group said in a statement on Wednesday. The chipmaker will join the group as an "advisory founding member," the IDTA said in a statement, and will offer technical resources and training through its Nvidia Deep Learning Institute to emerging startups in India. "Deep tech" is a term used to refer to fields such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing and biotechnology, which require substantial scientific research and engineering. The IDTA, in a separate statement, said it had received an additional $850 million in capital commitments, adding to its backing after receiving $1 billion in commitments when it launched in September. Other members in the alliance include Qualcomm Ventures, Celesta Capital, and Blume Ventures.