Not just Google-backed Pixxel, these startups can be a game-changers for Indian space industry
In a major boost to the Indian space industry, Alphabet, the parent company of Google, announced $36 million of investment in Bengaluru-based space startup, Pixxel.
Notably, this is the first major investment in the Indian space sector after the privatisation policy of the Indian government in April.
The approval of Indian Space Policy 2023 gave a major impetus to the Indian private space industry, by making it a lucrative investment option for investors.
Amid favourable ecosystem for space startups in India, companies like Skyroot, SatSure, Dhruva, Bellatrix, etc. are flourishing to become India’s SpaceX.
Here is the list of major Indian space startups which can transform the Indian space industry in the coming time.
Pixxels
The Bengaluru-based firm is involved in satellite networks.
The company is planning to launch six satellites next year.
The company was founded by Awais Ahmed who is also the Chief Executive of the firm.
He aims to make Pixxels “the most valued space tech company in India with Google’s investment.”
“We work with satellite data and Google does a lot of work around that with agriculture and environment,” Ahmed told Reuters.
“They also have Google Earth … so a combination of that led to them seeing a benefit.”
Ahmed along with co-founder Kshitij Khandelwal built an AI model that could use satellite data to predict crop yields, detect illegal mining and track natural disasters.
Unlike its competitors, Pixxel’s satellite takes in and analyse a wide spectrum of light instead of just assigning basic information like primary colour.
Skyroot Aerospace
With the giant investment, Pixxel has firmed its competitive stance against Skyroot Aerospace.
Skyroot is the first Indian startup to launch a private rocket from India.
The space startup was in the news last year for raising investment in its funding round.
The startup raised $50.5 million as part of its Series B funding round.
In November, Skyroot earned the title of the first private space startup to launch a rocket from home soil.
The company is planning to make its maiden orbital launch in 2023, reported Mint.
The company also aims to attain a launch frequency of two satellite launches per month.
SatSure
In January this year, space startup SatSure raised an undisclosed amount of investment from financial institutions like ICICI Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, and HDFC Ltd, reported Inc42.
Last year, the company took over geospatial startup Old City Innovations (OCI) in a cash and stock deal.
The company was founded in 2017 by Prateep Basu, Rashmit Singh Sukhmani, and Abhishek Raju.
The company owns a specialisation in providing remote sensing, machine learning, and data analytics solutions for agriculture, banking, and financial service issues.
Agnikul Cosmos
Along with Skyroot, Agnikul is also vying to slash launch costs for satellites.
Presenting an alternative to ISRO-managed launching infrastructure, Agnikul is planning to build its launchpad.
Agnikul is also planning to launch India’s first private spaceflight.
It also opened its own ground station and mission control room on Isro’s premises.
In July last year, Agnikul established its rocket engine manufacturing facility.
The space startup is one of the few Indian startups with an assembly chain to make robots.
Dhruva Space
The Hyderabad-based startup is one of the only three private firms in India to have flown at least a single satellite or launch to space. In November, the company launched two nano-satellites on board the ISRO PSLV C54 launch vehicle on November 26.
The company is planning to raise a funding round in the first half of 2023, to build its own, large-scale satellite manufacturing facility, Mint’s Shouvik Das reported.
Bellatrix Aerospace
Next on the list is, Bengaluru-based space startup, Bellatrix Aerospace.
The company announced building a new facility, where it can test and prototype the development of satellite thrusters-small engines, etc.
The facility is spread across five acres of land and can be a game-changer for the company.
The company is planning to execute the first phase of its ‘space taxis’, which are space shuttles that can transfer satellites from one orbit to another.
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