Startup Originals Team
Bengaluru-based spacetech startup Xovian Aerospace has secured $2.5 million (approximately ₹22 crore) in a pre-seed funding round co-led by Piper Serica and TurboStart, with participation from Inflection Point Ventures (IPV) and Eaglewings Ventures. This strategic funding will enable Xovian to develop India’s first full-stack, AI-powered radio frequency (RF) satellite infrastructure-marking a major step forward in the country’s deeptech and space innovation landscape.
What Does Xovian Do? Building Intelligent Satellites for Global Insight
Founded in 2019 by Ankit Bhateja and Raghav Sharma, Xovian Aerospace is creating a constellation of nanosatellites equipped with advanced RF sensors and proprietary AI “intelligence.” Unlike traditional Earth observation satellites that mainly rely on optical imagery, Xovian’s satellites are designed to capture, decode, and analyze dynamic RF signals from the ground and air. This enables real-time tracking and monitoring of a wide range of activities and assets worldwide.
Core Features:
- AI-Native RF Data Processing: Converts raw signal data into actionable insights instantly.
- Custom-Built RF Hardware: All electronics and sensors are developed in-house in India, with support from government grants.
- Full-Stack Model: Direct control over satellite manufacturing, deployment, data processing, and analytics.
Funding Impact and Roadmap:
With the newly raised funds, Xovian plans to:
- Expand its engineering team.
- Launch its first multi-band RF payload on an ISRO launch vehicle for initial space trials.
- Develop proprietary nanosatellites for future deployment.
The company will begin pilot projects and customer data trials in 2026, onboarding enterprises from India, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. By 2027, Xovian aims to operate a constellation of at least 10 satellites, delivering global, 24/7 radio frequency data coverage.
Applications: Who Benefits from Xovian’s Technology?
Xovian’s RF intelligence platform caters to industries that require real-time monitoring, asset tracking, and situational awareness:
- Maritime and Aviation: Track vessel and aircraft movement beyond line-of-sight.
- Defense and Security: Identify unauthorized activity, signal disruptions, and spectrum misuse.
- Oil & Gas / Energy: Monitor remote infrastructure and prevent illegal tapping or outages.
- Weather Forecasting & Climate Tech: Fuse RF data with other sensors to improve natural disaster prediction.
The company claims its platform delivers up to six times more data value per dollar compared to conventional systems, thanks to low-latency, high-fidelity insights powered by AI.
Riding India’s Deeptech and Spacetech Wave:
Xovian is part of India’s booming deeptech sector, which is seeing strong government support and investor appetite. The recent ₹1 lakh crore government fund for R&D and the rise of homegrown deeptech VCs are helping startups move from research to commercialization.
Conclusion: Redefining How the World Sees Radio Waves
With this funding, Xovian Aerospace is set to transform how dynamic radio frequency data is collected, analyzed, and turned into actionable intelligence for a wide spectrum of industries. As India’s deeptech ecosystem matures, Xovian’s advancements signal not just a leap for Indian space tech, but a vision for global, AI-driven insight from orbit.
