Zuppa Secures $1.5M for Indigenous Drone Tech in India's Defense Modernization
Chennai-based drone intelligence startup Zuppa has secured $1.5 million in a bridge funding round. The company's deep-tech IP and relevance to India's security landscape have been validated by investors.
Founded over a decade ago by aerospace engineers Sai Pattabiram and Venkatesh Sai, Zuppa specialises in fully indigenous drone navigation and control systems. These systems are designed to operate in GPS-denied and low-connectivity environments, making them crucial for India's defence modernisation programs.
Zuppa's technology stack includes vision-based guidance systems, secure cyber-physical infrastructure, and AI-powered targeting tools tailored for the Indian armed forces. The startup's systems reportedly filled critical capability voids during Operation Sindoor, demonstrating the strategic value of homegrown technology in sensitive operational theatres.
The latest funding round was led by Rahul Dewan, Ajay Gupta, and the Mangwani Family Office. The infusion aims to strengthen Zuppa's research and development efforts and enhance its role in India's defence modernisation programs. Sai Pattabiram, Zuppa's founder and managing director, sees this as a vote of confidence in the company's work.
Zuppa's co-founder and technical director, Venkatesh Sai, views the latest investment as a strategic inflection point. He plans to use the funds to build faster, smarter, and more secure drone systems for India's next-generation defence needs. The startup continues to collaborate with academic institutions and government agencies like the FAA and NASA to influence national drone policy and standardisation frameworks.
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