Nabhdrishti Aerospace raises $3 mn to develop next-gen propulsion tech

Founded in 2023, Nabhdrishti is focused on building sustainable, indigenous propulsion systems that can reduce India's reliance on imported aerospace technology

Nabhdrishti Aerospace, a Bengaluru-based aerospace startup developing advanced propulsion and power systems, has raised $3 million in a seed funding round led by Accel, with participation from IIMA Ventures and other existing investors, according to a company statement.

 

Founded in 2023 by aerospace veterans Rohit Chouhan, Arjun Srivatsa and Antanu Sadhu, Nabhdrishti is focused on building sustainable, indigenous propulsion systems to reduce India’s reliance on imported aerospace technology.

 

With the fresh capital, the company plans to accelerate the development of its propulsion technology by testing three engine prototypes and conducting flight trials in partnership with unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) manufacturers.

 

It also aims to generate early revenue while expanding its team, with new hires expected across engineering, production and customer support by the end of the year. Over the next few years, Nabhdrishti plans to steadily scale its workforce to support its growing product portfolio and customer base.

 

“India’s dependence on imported propulsion systems has long constrained our aerospace ambitions,” said Rohit Chouhan, co-founder and chief executive officer, Nabhdrishti Aerospace. “Our mission is to redefine the future of aerospace propulsion by building fuel-flexible, high-performance engines that are both sustainable and indigenously developed.”

 

Accel, which has backed Indian companies such as Flipkart and Swiggy, sees strategic potential in Nabhdrishti’s approach. “Propulsion technology remains one of the most challenging and critical bottlenecks in aerospace innovation, particularly for emerging markets like India,” said Mahendran Balachandran, partner, Accel.

 

Balachandran added that the company’s strategy balances near-term commercial viability with broader sustainability goals, positioning it to impact industries beyond aviation. He noted that beyond the company’s technical expertise, its ambition to build an ecosystem around indigenous, fuel-flexible propulsion solutions sets it apart.

 

By 2032, Nabhdrishti aims to become India’s leading propulsion technology provider and rank among the top global players in the field, the company said.