Kepler Aerospace Raises $8 Mn To Launch Six Autonomous Surveillance Satellites

Bengaluru-based spacetech startup Kepler Aerospace has secured $8 million in seed funding to develop and launch six autonomous surveillance satellites. The round was led by Blue Ashva Capital, with co-investment from Finvolve, India Accelerator, and other investors. This marks Kepler's first external funding since its founding in 2018.

The capital will be used for ISR capabilities, expanding mission operations and avionics-as-a-service businesses, and launching the six autonomous ISR satellites under two iDEX contracts secured for India's defence space ecosystem. The satellites will communicate with each other in orbit, reducing the time to convert space-based data into actionable intelligence.

Kepler, founded by Navneet Singh and Kiran V Sharma, develops and operates infrastructure for satellite missions, including avionics, subsystems, and ground station services. The startup serves nearly all Indian space companies and is the primary mission operator for several ISRO satellites. Over the next year, Kepler will focus on satellite deployment, business expansion, and enhancing engineering capabilities, adding 40 employees to its team.

This funding comes amid India's growing private spacetech ecosystem, with the commercial market projected to reach $77 billion by 2030.