Mumbai-based, IIT Bombay-incubated space-tech startup InspeCity has raised ₹100 crore ($10.5 million) in a pre-Series A funding round co-led by Speciale Invest and investor Ashish Kacholia. The round also saw participation from Antler Elevate, Antler India, Manish Gandhi and Shastra VC.
The latest fundraise strengthens InspeCity’s capital base as it moves toward the next stage of development of its in-space servicing, assembly and manufacturing (ISAM) technologies. The company said the fresh capital will be used for flight qualification and scaling its commercial activities.
Founded in 2022 by Arindrajit Chowdhury, InspeCity is developing technologies designed to extend the operational life of satellites and address challenges associated with space debris. Its work focuses on enabling autonomous servicing and other activities in orbit, with the longer-term objective of supporting more capable orbital platforms.
The startup is developing Vehicle for Life-Extension and Deorbiting Activities (VEDA), an autonomous in-space servicing architecture designed to extend satellite lifetimes while progressively enabling more advanced orbital servicing capabilities. InspeCity has divided satellite life-extension requirements into several core technological capabilities needed for autonomous operations in space.
These include GITA (Green Impulse TrAnsmitter), which is being developed for spacecraft propulsion and mobility; CHAKSU (Comprehensive AI-enabled satellite-tracking Sensor Unit) for sensing, navigation and proximity operations; RAMA (Remotely Actuated Motorized Arm) for robotic manipulation; and SPARSH (Self-aligning Port for Autonomous Refueling and Satellite Housekeeping) for cooperative docking and in-orbit propellant transfer.
Together, these technologies are intended to serve as building blocks for increasingly capable orbital platforms across the company’s RIG (Remote Inspection and Guidance), VEDA and SAMA (Space-Based Maintenance Asset) programmes.
InspeCity has outlined an ambitious mission roadmap for the next 12–18 months. During this period, the company plans to execute four in-orbit missions under its RIG-X, VEDA-X and SAMA-X programmes. The missions are expected to progressively validate the company’s capabilities in propulsion, sensing, autonomous operations, robotics, docking and refuelling in space.
The new funding follows InspeCity’s earlier financing rounds. In May 2025, the startup raised $5.6 million (around ₹46 crore) in a seed round led by Ashish Kacholia, with participation from Speciale Invest, Shastra VC, Antler India, DeVC, MGF-Kavachh and Anicut Capital. Prior to that, the company had raised $1.5 million in pre-seed funding, led by Speciale Invest and other investors.
The latest ₹100 crore raise also comes amid increasing investor interest in India’s emerging space-tech sector. Other Indian space-tech startups have raised significant capital in recent funding rounds. Skyroot Aerospace raised $50 million in a Series C round, while EtherealX and Bellatrix Aerospace secured $21 million and $20 million, respectively, in Series A rounds.
In earlier funding activity, Digantara raised $50 million in a Series B round in December 2025, while Agnikul Cosmos raised ₹150 crore in a Series C round in November 2025. Companies such as Dhruva Space, GalaxEye and Pixxel are also contributing to the development of India’s space-tech ecosystem through work spanning satellite infrastructure, earth observation and space-data solutions.
For InspeCity, the latest capital infusion represents an important step toward moving its technologies through flight qualification and into commercial applications. The company’s planned in-orbit missions will be particularly important in demonstrating whether its propulsion, sensing, robotics, autonomous-operation, docking and refuelling technologies can operate effectively in the demanding conditions of space.
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