India’s emerging spacetech startup SatLeo Labs has raised $2.2 million (around ₹20.5 crore) in its seed funding round, led by Unicorn India Ventures, with participation from Merak Ventures, Java Capital, and IIMA-CIIE, among others.
With this round, the startup’s total funding now stands at $5.5 million, including a $3.3 million pre-seed round raised in 2025.
Founded in 2023 by Shravan Bhati, Urmil Bakhai, and Ranendu Ghosh, SatLeo Labs is building advanced satellites capable of capturing both thermal and visual data from space.
Operating in low Earth orbit (LEO), these satellites enable real-time insights into:
- Climate change patterns
- Agricultural health monitoring
- Wildfire detection
- Urban heat mapping
- Defence and surveillance intelligence
This positions SatLeo Labs at the forefront of next-generation geospatial intelligence powered by AI. The company has demonstrated rapid progress over the past year:
- Team expanded from 8 to 30 members
- Developed its first thermal payload TAPAS-1 within six months
- Achieved TRL-8 readiness, moving closer to launch
- Initiated pilot projects in Ahmedabad and Tumkur, impacting over 4 lakh citizens
SatLeo Labs also reported a significant jump in its commercial pipeline, growing from $15 million to over $42 million in just one year.
Where the Funds Will Be Used
The fresh capital will be deployed to:
- Advance its flagship thermal satellite mission
- Build an AI-powered thermal intelligence platform
- Strengthen satellite launch readiness
- Expand commercial operations and scale technology
The funding comes amid a surge in India’s spacetech sector:
- Total funding nearly doubled to $157 million in 2025, up from $81 million
- Over 200 private spacetech startups are now active
- Increasing focus on Earth observation, satellite data, and commercial applications
The trend reflects rising global demand for cost-efficient satellite intelligence and data-driven insights.