Content Cabinet
The short answer
India's leading space tech startups include Skyroot Aerospace, whose Vikram-1 became the first privately developed Indian rocket to reach orbit in July 2026; Agnikul Cosmos, which flew a rocket on a single-piece 3D-printed engine; EtherealX, building a reusable rocket; Pixxel, GalaxEye and PierSight in Earth observation; Dhruva Space in satellites and ground stations; Digantara in space surveillance; and Bellatrix Aerospace in satellite propulsion.
Disclosure: Content Cabinet is a film and content studio. No company paid to be on this list.
How we picked
Every company here was started in India, builds its own hardware or satellites, and has public funding figures or a launch behind it. We checked each one on 10 October 2026 against its own announcements and the original reports, linked under Sources. Funding figures are as reported; some companies have not confirmed totals.
The nine, side by side
| Company | Based in | Builds | Milestone | Latest funding, as reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skyroot Aerospace | Hyderabad | Launch vehicles | Vikram-1 reached orbit, July 2026 | $60M at a $1.1B valuation, May 2026 |
| Agnikul Cosmos | Chennai | Launch vehicles with 3D-printed engines | Agnibaan SOrTeD flight, May 2024 | ₹150 crore at a $500M valuation, November 2025 |
| EtherealX | Bengaluru | A fully reusable rocket | Engine hot-fire tests planned for 2026 | $20.5M Series A, January 2026 |
| Pixxel | Bengaluru | Hyperspectral imaging satellites | First three Fireflies launched, January 2025 | $60M Series B in total; $95M overall |
| GalaxEye | Bengaluru | Satellites with radar and optical sensors in one | Drishti launched, May 2026 | About $20M to date |
| PierSight | Ahmedabad | Radar satellites for ocean surveillance | Demo satellite planned on ISRO's PSLV platform | $6M seed, January 2024 |
| Dhruva Space | Hyderabad | Satellites, ground stations and launch services | Order book over ₹500 crore | ₹275 crore pre-Series B so far, 2026 |
| Digantara | Bengaluru | Space surveillance and missile warning | SCOT satellite launched, January 2025 | $50M Series B, December 2025 |
| Bellatrix Aerospace | Bengaluru | Satellite propulsion | Green and electric thrusters flown, 2024 | $20M pre-Series B, March 2026 |
The companies, one at a time
Rockets
Skyroot Aerospace
Builds: rockets that put small satellites into orbit
In November 2022 Skyroot's Vikram-S became India's first privately developed rocket to launch, reaching about 89.5 km. On 18 July 2026 its Vikram-1 went further and reached orbit, which made it India's first privately developed orbital-class launch vehicle. In May 2026 Skyroot became India's first space tech unicorn.
Latest: $60 million in May 2026 at a $1.1 billion valuation, co-led by GIC and Sherpalo Ventures with funds managed by BlackRock, for about $160 million raised in total.
Agnikul Cosmos
Builds: launch vehicles built around 3D-printed engines
On 30 May 2024 Agnikul flew Agnibaan SOrTeD, a suborbital test rocket, from its own launchpad at Sriharikota. It ran on Agnilet, which Agnikul describes as the world's first single-piece 3D-printed semi-cryogenic rocket engine, and ISRO hailed the flight as a milestone.
Latest: about ₹150 crore ($17 million) in November 2025 at a valuation of $500 million, from investors including HDFC Bank, Artha Select Fund and 100X.VC.
EtherealX
Builds: Razor Crest Mk-1, a fully reusable launch vehicle
EtherealX is designing a rocket whose booster and upper stage both come back to be flown again. It plans to carry up to 24.8 tonnes when the rocket is expended, and about 8 tonnes in fully reusable mode. Engine hot-fire tests are planned for 2026, a demonstration flight for late 2027 and commercial launches from 2028.
Latest: a $20.5 million Series A in January 2026, led by TDK Ventures and BIG Capital, with Accel and Prosus, at an $80.5 million valuation.
Satellites and Earth data
Pixxel
Builds: hyperspectral imaging satellites that see far more colours than a normal camera
On 14 January 2025 Pixxel launched its first three Firefly satellites on SpaceX's Transporter-12, which TechCrunch called India's first private satellite constellation. The Fireflies image the Earth at 5 metre resolution, and Pixxel said the launch marked the start of its commercial operations.
Latest: a $24 million addition in December 2024 took its Series B to $60 million and its total to $95 million, with Google, Radical Ventures, Lightspeed, M&G Catalyst and Glade Brook among its backers.
GalaxEye
Builds: satellites that combine radar and optical cameras, so they can image through clouds and at night
GalaxEye's Drishti, launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 in May 2026, is its first OptoSAR satellite. At 190 kg, Inc42 reported it as India's largest privately developed Earth observation satellite. The company plans a constellation of at least 10 satellites over about two and a half years.
Latest: about $20 million raised to date, including a 2024 Series A led by Mela Ventures, with Speciale Invest.
PierSight
Builds: radar satellites that watch the oceans day and night
PierSight combines synthetic aperture radar with ship-tracking data for persistent ocean monitoring, for maritime and defence customers. It planned a demonstration satellite on ISRO's PSLV Orbital Experimental Module before its first operational satellite.
Latest: a $6 million seed round in January 2024, co-led by Alpha Wave Ventures and Elevation Capital.
Dhruva Space
Builds: satellite platforms, ground stations and launch services, sold together or separately
Dhruva Space flew its LEAP-TD technology demonstrator on ISRO's PSLV-C58 in January 2024. In July 2026 it became the first company to receive money from India's ₹1,600 crore Antariksh Venture Capital Fund, anchored by IN-SPACe, and it reports an order book of more than ₹500 crore.
Latest: ₹60 crore from the Antariksh fund in July 2026, part of a pre-Series B round that stands at ₹275 crore, ₹150 crore of it equity and ₹125 crore debt.
Space safety and propulsion
Digantara
Builds: satellites and ground sensors that track objects in orbit, and missile warning
Digantara's SCOT satellite launched on SpaceX's Transporter-12 in January 2025. The company describes it as the world's first commercial space situational awareness satellite, able to watch objects as small as 5 cm. It plans 15 surveillance satellites and two missile-warning satellites in 2026-27.
Latest: a $50 million Series B in December 2025 from 360 ONE Asset, SBI Investments Japan, Ronnie Screwvala, Peak XV Partners and Kalaari Capital.
Bellatrix Aerospace
Builds: thrusters that move satellites once they are in orbit, including Hall-effect thrusters
Bellatrix flew green and electric propulsion systems in orbit in 2024 and has agreements with Astroscale Japan and NewSpace India Limited, according to Payload. It has set up a US subsidiary.
Latest: a $20 million pre-Series B in March 2026, led by Cactus Partners.
Where the money comes from
Indian space startups are now funded from three directions. Venture firms such as Speciale Invest, Peak XV Partners and Elevation Capital back them early. Global sovereign and institutional money arrives later, as GIC did in Skyroot's 2026 round. And since July 2026 the government's ₹1,600 crore Antariksh Venture Capital Fund, managed by SIDBI Venture Capital, has started investing, with Dhruva Space its first deal. For the investors behind these companies, see our list of deep tech VC funds in India.
Telling a space story
A launch is the easiest moment in a space company's life to film and the hardest to explain. The rocket lifts off in 30 seconds; why it matters, to a customer or an investor, takes longer. We make launch films, 3D product films and engineering explainers for deep tech companies. See also our lists of robotics startups and drone startups in India.
Questions people ask
Which are the top space tech startups in India?
Leading names include Skyroot Aerospace and Agnikul Cosmos in rockets, EtherealX in reusable launch vehicles, Pixxel, GalaxEye and PierSight in Earth observation, Dhruva Space in satellites and ground stations, Digantara in space surveillance and Bellatrix Aerospace in propulsion.
Which Indian private company has launched a rocket to orbit?
Skyroot Aerospace. Its Vikram-1 reached orbit on 18 July 2026, making it India's first privately developed orbital-class launch vehicle. Its suborbital Vikram-S had flown in November 2022.
Which Indian space startup is a unicorn?
Skyroot Aerospace became India's first space tech unicorn in May 2026, when it raised $60 million at a $1.1 billion valuation in a round co-led by GIC and Sherpalo Ventures.
Which space startups are based in Bengaluru?
Pixxel, GalaxEye, Digantara, EtherealX and Bellatrix Aerospace are based in Bengaluru. Skyroot and Dhruva Space are in Hyderabad, Agnikul in Chennai and PierSight in Ahmedabad.
What is the Antariksh Venture Capital Fund?
India's sovereign space tech fund, with a corpus of ₹1,600 crore, anchored by IN-SPACe and managed by SIDBI Venture Capital. Its first investment was ₹60 crore in Dhruva Space in July 2026.
Which Indian startup flew a 3D-printed rocket engine?
Agnikul Cosmos. Its Agnibaan SOrTeD flight on 30 May 2024 used Agnilet, which Agnikul describes as the world's first single-piece 3D-printed semi-cryogenic rocket engine.
Sources
- SatelliteToday, Skyroot secures $60M and becomes India's first space unicorn (May 2026)
- India Science and Technology (Government of India), Vikram-1 reaches orbit (Jul 2026)
- Al Jazeera, India launches Vikram-S, its first privately made rocket (Nov 2022)
- Business Today, Agnikul launches Agnibaan with a 3D-printed engine (May 2024)
- Entrepreneur India, Agnikul raises $17M at a $500M valuation (Nov 2025)
- Inc42, EtherealX bags $20.5M for reusable rocket development (Jan 2026)
- TechCrunch, Pixxel launches India's first private satellite constellation (Jan 2025)
- The Week (PTI), Pixxel raises an additional $24M in Series B (Dec 2024)
- Inc42, GalaxEye launches its first OptoSAR satellite (May 2026)
- Inc42, PierSight raises $6M for maritime surveillance satellites (Jan 2024)
- Dhruva Space, first investment from the Antariksh Venture Capital Fund (Jul 2026)
- Entrackr, Digantara raises $50M in Series B (Dec 2025)
- ETV Bharat, Mission SCOT's success (Jan 2025)
- Payload, Bellatrix raises $20M for in-space propulsion (Mar 2026)
