IIT Madras-incubated space-tech startup, Inbound Aerospace, has raised over $1 million in a pre-seed funding round led by Speciale Invest, with participation from Piper Serica. This strategic capital infusion marks a significant milestone in India's rapidly evolving private space ecosystem, particularly in the domain of reusable and autonomous re-entry vehicles.
Founded in 2025 by Aravind I B, Vishal Reddy, and Capt (IN) Abhijit Bhutey (Retd), Inbound Aerospace is developing autonomous, reusable re-entry spacecraft that enable in-orbit experimentation, microgravity manufacturing, and commercial research.
As the International Space Station (ISS) approaches decommissioning in 2030, the global space industry is actively seeking alternatives to support microgravity research and orbital infrastructure. Inbound Aerospace aims to bridge this gap with a made-in-India solution — offering a recoverable spacecraft platform to carry payloads into space and bring them back safely.
"Microgravity environments are extremely hard to recreate on Earth. Our spacecraft is designed to enable cost-effective, repeatable, and safe return of payloads conducting in-orbit experiments and manufacturing — a capability that's critical to unlocking the next wave of growth in the space economy,”
— Aravind I B, Co-founder & CEO, Inbound Aerospace
The startup focuses on making space-based research accessible to sectors like pharmaceuticals, biotech, and advanced materials, which benefit from microgravity environments for accelerated product development.
Inbound Aerospace is building:
Autonomous and reusable re-entry vehicles
Payload delivery and return capability
A platform tailored for microgravity research and space manufacturing
Recovery systems for safe landing of scientific payloads
These capabilities will serve startups, research institutions, and enterprises looking to test products and technologies in space, at a fraction of traditional costs.
Use of Funds: The fresh capital will fuel R&D, sub-system validation, and critical design review stages.
Target Launch: Inbound is aiming for its first test launch between late 2027 and early 2028.
Next Fundraise: The founders plan to raise a larger round before their test re-entry mission.
With the Indian Government’s Bio3E policy (2024) promoting biotech and pharma innovation in space and rising global demand for space-enabled R&D infrastructure, Inbound Aerospace is uniquely positioned to play a pioneering role. Their technology could become instrumental in shaping India’s commercial space manufacturing narrative over the next decade.
Inbound Aerospace is not just another space-tech startup — it represents the next evolution of India’s deep-tech innovation in space. As investor confidence continues to grow in high-tech, hardware-heavy ventures post the success of ISRO and private launches, startups like Inbound Aerospace can attract long-term capital and strategic global partnerships.
With a clear roadmap, experienced founding team, and strong backing from marquee investors, Inbound is poised to create significant value in the unlisted space-tech sector.
IIT Madras-incubated startup building reusable spacecrafts
Raised $1M in pre-seed round from Speciale Invest & Piper Serica
Targeting re-entry launch by 2028
Focused on microgravity research & in-orbit manufacturing
A key player in India’s emerging space economy
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