By Jagmeet Singh
Publication Date: 2026-02-20 00:30:00
Nvidia is stepping up efforts to court India’s artificial intelligence startups earlier in their lifecycle, unveiling a string of partnerships this week aimed at reaching founders even before their companies are formally established. The push is intended to help the AI chipmaker cultivate relationships with future customers in one of the world’s fastest-growing developer markets.
The latest move comes through a partnership with early-stage venture firm Activate, which plans to back about 25 to 30 AI startups from its $75 million debut fund while giving portfolio companies preferential access to Nvidia’s technical expertise. The collaboration follows other India-focused efforts unveiled this week, including work with nonprofit AI Grants India to support early-stage founders and new ties with venture firms focused on the South Asian nation.
The flurry of activity comes as India hosts its AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, drawing top technology companies including OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google. Nvidia Chief Executive Jensen Huang was slated to attend but skipped the event due to what the company called unforeseen circumstances. A senior delegation led by executive vice president Jay Puri attended in his place, meeting AI…
