Chennai Space-Tech Startup InspeCity Raises ₹100 Crore in Pre-Series A Funding

Space-tech startup InspeCity has raised Rs 100 crore in a pre-Series A funding round to advance flight qualification and accelerate its commercial operations, the Chennai-based company announced.

The funding round was led by Speciale Invest and Ashish Kacholia, with participation from venture firm Antler and other investors. The startup has also been supported by the Ministry of Defence’s Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) programme.

Founded in 2022, InspeCity focuses on satellite inspection and life extension services, having built a proprietary suite of technologies that includes satellite propulsion systems. The company plans to use the newly acquired capital to commercialise its in-space servicing architecture, with an initial focus on satellite life extension, while scaling up its propulsion offerings.

To demonstrate and validate its systems, InspeCity has scheduled four in-orbit missions over the next 12 to 18 months. These missions will focus on flight qualification across multiple core areas, including propulsion technologies, sensing, robotics, docking, autonomous operations, and in-orbit refuelling.

Prof Arindrajit Chowdhury, founder and chief executive officer of InspeCity, stated that the company has developed VEDA, or the Vehicle for Life-Extension and Deorbiting Activities. The autonomous architecture is engineered to prolong the operational lifespans of satellites and support advanced orbital servicing in the future.

According to Chowdhury, the company is moving from testing individual technologies to qualifying a fully integrated architecture in space for commercial deployment. InspeCity has already entered into preliminary agreements with several customers and continues to engage with government agencies.