Google has selected four Indian startups for the inaugural Google DeepMind Accelerator: AI for the Planet in Asia-Pacific, bringing companies working across agriculture, carbon removal and biodiversity into its three-month climate-focused AI programme.
Terrastack, Varaha Climate, Farmers for Forests and Climitra Carbon are among 16 organisations selected from across the Asia-Pacific region. The wider cohort includes startups, nonprofits and research organisations applying artificial intelligence to environmental challenges.
The programme will provide participating organisations with access to Google's AI technology stack, tailored technical support and mentorship from experts. Google DeepMind's programme schedule includes tailored support from September to December 2026, followed by a Demo Day in Singapore on December 10.
The four Indian participants are using a mix of AI, satellite data, remote sensing, geospatial technology and drones to address different aspects of climate resilience.
Terrastack combines satellite and agronomic data to generate plot-level land intelligence for smallholder farmers. The approach is designed to provide more detailed information about agricultural land and support data-led decision-making at the farm level.
Varaha Climate is using remote sensing and AI to verify regenerative agriculture practices and carbon removal. Its model is aimed at enabling smallholder farmers to participate in carbon markets by measuring and verifying environmental outcomes linked to their farming practices.
Farmers for Forests is applying AI-powered drones to smallholder agroforestry. The organisation is using technology to measure carbon and biodiversity outcomes, addressing the monitoring requirements associated with scaling nature-based climate initiatives.
Climitra Carbon, meanwhile, is deploying Geo-AI to verify the removal of invasive plant species and their conversion into biochar. The approach connects land restoration with carbon removal by using geospatial intelligence to measure and validate activity on the ground.
The Indian startups join organisations from markets including Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, South Korea and Thailand. Projects across the broader cohort range from AI-enabled soil analysis and crop-yield estimation to mangrove monitoring and wildlife conservation.
The accelerator comes as Google expands its sustainability initiatives in India. The company has also outlined projects involving solar energy, methane reduction and water conservation, alongside the use of AI and geospatial technology for environmental applications.
For the four Indian companies, the accelerator provides access to Google's AI infrastructure and technical expertise as they work to scale climate-focused technologies. Their selection also reflects the growing use of AI beyond consumer and enterprise software, particularly in areas requiring analysis of agricultural, satellite and environmental data.
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