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Building 2nd Gen-AI products from India for the world

Fully-funded 6-month accelerator for AI startups solving real problems and delivering value

Evaluating applications on rolling basis

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 What we offer?

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Unrestricted seed capital upto ₹40 lakhs

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120+ hours of 1:1 mentoring from experienced founders & product leaders

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Access to the Global Customer Advisory Board across the globe (US, Europe, Singapore)

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Support with recruiting, finance, and legal matters so you can focus on impact

ACE Process

We run a 6 month accelerator program in Delhi NCR. During this time we work intensively with founders on deeply understanding the problem, innovating on solutions, launching pilot & preparing them for fundraising. In short, we become your co-founding team for the 6 months.

Support strong founding team

Help identify and fine-tune the ICP/user segment

Refine a go-to-market strategy

Help refine the product and sharpen the offering

Iterate to reach product market fit

Build a scale up & fundraising strategy 

Fueling the AI Startup Revolution

Data Insights 

Measuring current ecosystem, providing learnings and potential interventions 

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Public Tools

How-to Guides,

Bootcamps, Podcasts and Workshops

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Patents & Reaseach

15+ AI patents and over 10 AI papers published in top conferences such as KDD, ACL, UbiComp, IUI, and AAAI since 2013.

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We have AI expertise to solve hard problems systematically

Fueling Success: Stories of Change

Sonic Lamb featuring on Shark Tank S4

Sonic Lamb (as seen on Shark Tank S4) is a deeptech startup with the world's first patented tech to feel music through body for a physically immersive audio experience.

Incubated at
ACE Cohort 2024

ACE Timeline

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1

Invitation for Applications

Start Date: 20th January

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2

1x1 nurturing sessions with the founders

Date: 1st feb - 30th Mar

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3

1-week in-house evaluation program and offer

Date: Early April

Cohort Starts

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4

Start Date: 19th May

About ACE Program

Who should apply?

  • A startup in operation for the last 6-12 months, having a product or an MVP and a few users (preferably)

  • Can move to Delhi NCR for the duration of the program

  • People who have worked in product based companies and want to build in AI

  • Anyone keen to build products from 0 to 1

We will help you bring your startup idea to life and take it to new heights.

Meet the Founders

Global Customer Advisory Board

Driving Innovation Through Expert Insights
Our Customer Advisory Board brings together industry leaders to guide early-stage AI startups with real-world expertise, helping them validate ideas, solve user pain points, and build impactful solutions.

ACE Mentors

Organisations built and supported by our founders:

  • What are the criteria for selection?
    A startup in operation for the last 6-12 months, having a product or an MVP and a few users (preferably) Passionate about solving big problems & building products. Strong demonstrable entrepreneurial qualities. Living or willing to move to Delhi-NCR for their startup journey.
  • I am a final year student. Can I apply?
    This is an on-site program, so you have to attend the program in person. If your college allows you to do that- then you can.
  • I'm currently not staying in Delhi. Can I still apply?
    Yes. Our program is an on-site program, so you need to be in Delhi-NCR for the program. Also, all entrepreneurs in ACE need to build and locate the headquarters of their company in NCR.
  • I don't currently have a running business but just an idea. Can I apply?
    Yes
  • Do I need to register as an organization before applying?
    No
  • Can I apply twice - with two different ideas?
    No. We will only accept one application from one individual. We are investing in people, not idea at this stage.
  • What about my intellectual property? How do I make sure that my idea will not be stolen?
    Ideas are cheap and free. Any IP you create remains exclusively your possession.
  • How do I use the 40L rupees?
    We strongly recommend that 60-70% of this amount is used as investment in your idea/company, while the rest is used as personal stipend. In case, your idea makes fast progress, you could get advance payment of full or part of your fellowship amount, on approval of the investment committee.
  • What other benefits will I get apart from the fellowship amount?
    All selected founders will be provided with mentorship from various domain experts, office space, legal and accounting support, tech and digital marketing support, co hort based learning opportunity and much more.
  • How do I fund my startup beyond 40L?
    ACE has a larger corpus of money to invest in ideas based on their progress. After the program ends, Change Engine will help the startups to raise further capital through a syndicate.
  • Will selected founders be provided with accommodation facility during the program?
    ACE program will offer only office facility and not accommodation facility.
  • Do I get help with registering company, shareholder agreement writing, term sheets or other legal/company help?
    Yes, we will have empaneled experts for these at highly discounted prices.
  • When will the program start?
    June - 2025
  • Can I participate in ACE program and simultaneously work in my full time job?
    No, our program is an on-site program, so you need to be in Delhi-NCR for the program. Also, all entrepreneurs in ACE need to build and locate the headquarters of their company in NCR.
  • Do I have to be at the ACE office location for the entire period of 6 months?
    Yes. Plus the office space will be available up to 5 members (inc you) during the period of fellowship and three months after that.
  • What is a typical day like for the ACErs during the 6 month period?
    You will be having detailed mentoring sessions every few days in the week and you will get to apply those concepts learnt into your startups.
  • Can I get assistance from another accelerator while I'm a part of the ACE program?
    Since, ACE is a full-time onsite program, getting into another parallel program is not feasible.
  • Can I look for a co-founder while I'm in the program? Will he/she also get the same fellowship?
    Yes, you can look for a co-founder within the cohort or outside. The person can work in ACE office, once s/he is a part of the team. The fellowship amount is only for you.
  • What if my startup idea is going nowhere?
    In such case, one option is that the duration of the program be elongated by 3 months. The total fellowship amount will remain 6L and not be increased. The other option is the candidates decides to quit the program. One of the two options will be decided mutually between ACE and entrepreneur.
  • What if I quit in between because of external reasons?
    ACE considers quitting the program in between for financial upside/job as breach of trust and unexpected situation. If the fellow quits in between the program due to external reasons, say, such as taking a job, the candidate must return 70% of the fellowship amount provided to him/her.
  • What happens at the end of the program?
    At the end, we introduce you to external investors and you raise a round and set off to your journey.
  • Will we be connected to some angel investors at the end of the program?
    Yes
  • Will the incubates be offered guidance even after the program?
    Yes, there will be monthly cohort interactions for the next one year and then quarterly. We will create WhatsApp groups for quick conversations within the cohort.
  • What if I do a startup after the end of the program or after quitting it?
    You are free to do a startup without involvement of ACE after completing the program or quitting it. However, if the idea is the one actively discussed/developed at ACE program, by you or another cohort member, it is a joint IP with ACE. We will claim up to 10% of your company for using the IP co-developed by us.
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