Indian company Digantara raises $50 million for space-based missile defense technology

DigantaraAn Indian space surveillance startup has raised $50 million in a new funding round as it moves beyond space situational awareness to missile tracking, citing growing demand from governments for space-based defense capabilities.

The all-equity Series B round included new investors such as 360 ONE Asset and SBI Investments of Japan, as well as serial entrepreneur Ronnie Screwvala, with existing backers Peak XV Partners and Kalaari Capital as well. The financing comes more than two years after the start of operation A1 round of $10 millionBringing its total capital to $64.5 million.

At the global level, so are governments Invest more in space surveillance And early warning systems With the increasing frequency of missile launches and satellite intervention, many seek faster detection than traditional ground-based radar can provide. Digantara aims to tap into this market using space-based and terrestrial infrared sensors combined with software-based analytics and intelligence.

Founded in 2020, the Bengaluru-based startup initially focused on space situational awareness, tracking debris and objects that could damage satellites. The startup has since expanded its scope to include missile detection and tracking, building on space-based and ground-based sensing and analytics technologies it developed for space surveillance, its founder and CEO Anirudh Sharma (pictured above) said in an interview.

Digantara Fired The first space observation satellite, SCOT (Space Camera Object Tracking), was launched in January aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-12 mission, enabling space-to-space monitoring. A month later, startup Opened an office in Colorado Springs As part of its push into the US defense market, a move that has since led to contracts with US Space Command for analytics-as-a-service. Its US entity was also selected for the Missile Defense Agency’s SHIELD contract vehicle, which supports next-generation missile defense programs.

“Since we have already built infrared sensors, we are now expanding our infrared capabilities to other areas such as medium- and long-wave infrared,” Sharma told TechCrunch.

Digantara has segmented its operations across geographies to meet national security requirements. Its US team focuses on building larger 100-kilogram satellites and spacecraft designed specifically to meet US defense needs, while its operations in India focus on analytics, data processing, and space situational awareness. The structure reflects the regulatory realities of defense procurement, where critical systems must be designed and built locally for each market.

So far, Digantara has closed contracts worth a total of about $25 million, Sharma told TechCrunch. The startup currently operates across India, Singapore and the US, and plans to expand into Europe by setting up a local entity there as early as 2026.

In India, Digantara operates a 25,000-square-foot manufacturing facility capable of producing up to five satellites simultaneously, and plans to significantly expand this capacity. The startup has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Andhra Pradesh government to set up a larger facility that can manufacture up to 30 satellites at a time, and aims to have them operational next year.

Sharma said Digantara has already been selected as the winning bidder in India’s government defense tenders and is completing administrative formalities before starting work.

During the period from 2026 to 2027, Digantara plans to expand its space and ground infrastructure, including additional electro-optical and LiDAR satellites for space monitoring, space-based sensors for missile early warning and tracking, and a larger network of ground-based observatories, the company said. Sharma confirmed that it is also exploring the potential use of LiDAR and laser technologies for future interception systems.

Digantara plans to launch another satellite via SpaceX in March, followed by additional launches in June and October, with multiple satellites scheduled for the latter mission. Sharma said the company aims to deploy a total of 15 satellites over the next two years.

He noted that the latest funding will support these launches, with about $7-10 million allocated for expansion in the US and about $2-3 million allocated to setting up operations in Europe, while the rest will be used to expand manufacturing and operations in India.

Digantara has seen revenues grow more than tenfold over the past two years, Sharma said, declining to reveal current numbers. He added that the company aims to achieve annual revenues ranging between $25 and $30 million over the next 18 months as defense and government work intensifies.

The startup currently employs about 125 people, including approximately 80 to 85 engineers.