Accel, Binny Bansal, Majety back flying taxi venture Sarla Aviation

Sarla Aviation, an aviation company focused on building flying taxis for mass mobility, has raised $10 million in Series A1 funding. The round was led by venture capital firm Accel, with participation from angel investors including Flipkart co-founder Binny Bansal, Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath, Swiggy co-founder Sriharsha Majety, and five other prominent founders. This funding will enable Sarla Aviation to accelerate its mission of transforming transportation in India by offering affordable, efficient, and sustainable air mobility solutions.

 

As urbanisation accelerates and traffic congestion worsens in Indian cities, Sarla envisions a future where Indians can bypass road-bound infrastructure and seamlessly live, work, and thrive. Founded in 2024 by Adrian Schmidt, Rakesh Gaonkar, and Shivam Chauhan, the team combines years of experience from leading global eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) players. They aim to set new benchmarks in urban mobility by blending global expertise with local insights.

 

 

Sarla’s hybrid-lift-and-cruise eVTOL offers the highest payload in the market, capable of carrying up to 680 kg. This allows 35 per cent more passengers per flight at four times lower ticket prices compared to western competitors. According to the company, this innovation positions Sarla Aviation’s flying taxis as a practical, affordable, and efficient solution for mass mobility.

 

“This funding is a significant milestone for Sarla Aviation as we advance our mission to revolutionise transportation in India,” said Adrian Schmidt, Co-Founder and CEO of Sarla Aviation. “Our flying taxis are not just about enabling instant and affordable air mobility—they represent a bold step toward unlocking India’s true economic potential and solving critical bottlenecks like traffic congestion and pollution. With the support of our investors, we are accelerating the development of our technology, expanding our team, and establishing a state-of-the-art R&D centre. Our first priority is to build a mass mobility system that serves and enables India like cars once transformed and enabled the United States.”

 

Schmidt also shared plans to launch a free-of-cost air ambulance service to address the urgent need for rapid medical response and save countless lives by eliminating traffic-related delays. “By prioritising simplicity and affordability, we aim to create a scalable solution that meets the needs of tomorrow’s Viksit Bharat and fuels the country’s ambition to become a global superpower,” Schmidt added.

 

Pratik Agarwal, Principal at Accel, said Sarla Aviation’s vision of affordable flying taxis addresses critical urban challenges like traffic congestion, pollution, and the need for rapid medical response.

 

“Adrian, Rakesh, and Shivam are exactly the type of founders who can bring this vision to life. Backed by experience from leading global eVTOL companies and a world-class team, they have the right mix of bold vision and execution ability to help this idea ‘take off’ practically,” said Agarwal. “Their emphasis on cost economics and reliability could make them a blueprint for other rapidly urbanising regions worldwide," he added.

 

Other angel investors in the round include Abhiraj Singh Bhal (Urban Company), Abhishek Goyal (Tracxn), Ramakant Sharma (LivSpace), Sujeet Kumar (Udaan), Manish Agarwal (Kratos), and Sandeep Nailwal (Polygon).

 

Sarla is set to unveil its first flying taxi prototype on January 17, 2025, at the Bharat Mobility Global Expo in New Delhi. The company will also initiate test flight campaigns and accelerate the creation of additional prototypes, aiming for a market launch by 2028.