Koos Bekker-led Prosus to back India’s early-stage startups

Prosus N.V., the listed internet group chaired by South African billionaire Koos Bekker, has partnered with U.S.-based venture capital firm Accel to co-invest in early-stage Indian startups focused on advanced manufacturing, energy transition, and artificial intelligence-based automation, the companies said in a joint statement.

This expands Accel’s Atoms X, an early-stage founder program that supports entrepreneurs building scalable businesses. Under the new arrangement, Prosus will match Accel’s investments in each selected company. Combined seed funding for startups under the program will range between $200,000 and $2 million, according to Accel partner Pratik Agarwal. 

“In the beginning, each of us will invest between $100,000 and $1 million,” Agarwal said. “That kind of support can make a real difference for these early-stage founders. Hopefully, we’ll find more opportunities to double down on the best ones.”

Expanding early-stage exposure

For Prosus, known for backing high-growth technology companies at later stages, the partnership marks a deeper entry into India’s early startup ecosystem. 

“This adds to what we already do in early-stage investing,” said Ashutosh Sharma, head of India ecosystem at Prosus. “We aim to support companies that can impact millions in emerging markets. There’s a group of entrepreneurs willing to take bold bets, but many struggle to reach a stage where they become visible to us. This initiative helps bridge that gap.” 

The two firms have previously co-invested in several Indian startups, including Swiggy, BlueStone, Urban Company, and Captain Fresh, which is preparing for an initial public offering. They also recently backed edtech firm Arivihan, gaming startup KGeN, and developer productivity company CodeKarma.

“This is Prosus’ first global collaboration of its kind,” Sharma added. “Accel is a natural partner for this effort. We made three late-stage deals in India last year—Rapido, Mintifi, and Vastu Housing—but seven early-stage investments. We’re selective; we’ll do about five to six exciting early deals a year.” 

Prosus’ growing footprint

Founded in 1997 and spun off from Naspers in 2019, Prosus has become one of the world’s top tech investors, with stakes in fintech, e-commerce, online education, and digital media. 

Under Koos Bekker’s leadership, the company has grown its global reach. Bekker, who owns just under 1 percent of Prosus—worth about €966.8 million ($1.13 billion)—has guided its expansion strategy, including the $4.73 billion acquisition of Just Eat Takeaway and a $221.8 million investment in Indian ride-hailing firm Rapido in September.