Indian climate-tech startups join Google DeepMind Accelerator for AI-driven carbon and biodiversity projects

Four Indian startups, Terrastack, Varaha Climate, Farmers for Forests, and Climitra Carbon, were picked for the inaugural Google DeepMind Accelerator: AI for the Planet (APAC) cohort. They are among 16 organizations that will get three months of technical support, access to Google's AI stack, and mentorship to apply satellite intelligence, remote sensing, and drones to sustainable agriculture, carbon credits, and biodiversity monitoring. The accelerator highlights a shift toward using AI to verify regenerative practices and nature-based climate solutions. Varaha Climate, for instance, helps smallholder farmers earn carbon credits through AI-verified regenerative agriculture, while Farmers for Forests uses AI-powered drones to measure carbon and biodiversity outcomes. This practical focus on measurement and monitoring could expand the credibility of carbon projects in the region. The article also touches on a separate piece about AI commoditizing thinking, where an IISc professor warns that productivity gains may concentrate wealth among chip, algorithm, and data center owners. For climate tech, that means the real test will be whether AI tools actually cut emissions and improve land management, not just generate data.