1 week ago
India’s Deep-Tech Startups Face Test Beyond Building Technology
India has many startups that can build advanced machines and technologies.
However, making a prototype is only the beginning.
Companies must test their products, get certifications and manufacture them reliably.
These steps can take a long time and require expensive equipment.
Some founders want the government to buy early versions and provide better testing facilities.
Others say startups must build businesses and find customers instead of relying mostly on investors.
They also need supply chains that work in India and plans for earning money as they grow.
The big question is whether these companies can survive long enough to sell and scale their inventions.
Deep-tech startups are struggling to move through testing and certification at middle technology-readiness levels.
D-Propulse’s Saurav Jha called for early government procurement and infrastructure funding beyond grants.
Agnikul Cosmos CEO Srinath Ravichandran said companies must solve business, supply-chain and scaling challenges alongside technical problems.
Garuda Aerospace CEO Agnishwar Jayaprakash argued that founders should reduce dependence on external capital through customer-funded growth and overseas sales.
The startups’ next challenge is turning technologies such as rockets, propulsion systems and drones into scalable commercial products.
- Who
- Indian deep-tech startups, including D-Propulse, Agnikul Cosmos and Garuda Aerospace, and their founders.
- What
- They are confronting challenges in testing, certification, infrastructure, business development, funding, manufacturing and commercialization.
- Where
- India, with some companies also targeting overseas markets.
- When
- The article does not specify a date; it describes the startups’ current development phase.
- Why
- Technologies must move from development into testing, manufacturing, paying customers and scalable businesses.
Stronger ecosystem and government support
Greater founder self-reliance
How startups should cross the funding gap
Stronger ecosystem and government support
Saurav Jha said government support should extend beyond grants to early procurement, intermittent orders and infrastructure that helps companies test and de-risk technologies.
Greater founder self-reliance
Agnishwar Jayaprakash said founders should help themselves before seeking outside support, citing Garuda Aerospace’s customer-funded approach and overseas sales.
What is needed beyond engineering
Stronger ecosystem and government support
Jha argued that access to testing and certification facilities is essential, while Srinath Ravichandran highlighted supply chains and the transition from research and development to manufacturing.
Greater founder self-reliance
Jayaprakash’s approach emphasizes developing products with customers and using market demand to support growth rather than relying primarily on external capital.
Role of the domestic ecosystem
Stronger ecosystem and government support
The article says India needs a deeper ecosystem connecting infrastructure, procurement, testing, manufacturing and customers.
Greater founder self-reliance
Ravichandran cautioned that Indian startups cannot simply copy models such as SpaceX’s because India has different economic and supply-chain constraints.
Key facts
- Main development hurdle
- Moving through middle technology-readiness levels and completing testing and certification.
- Government support proposed
- Early procurement, intermittent orders and support for spiral development.
- Infrastructure needs
- Precision machining, connected test facilities and specialised equipment were cited as examples.
- Business challenge
- Startups must connect technology development with commercial returns and scalable operations.
- Capital perspective
- Garuda Aerospace emphasized customer-funded growth and reducing reliance on external capital.
- Technologies mentioned
- Rockets, propulsion systems and sophisticated drones.
Quotes
Agnishwar Jayaprakash
Founder and CEO of Garuda Aerospace
“Beyond a certain level of technology development, you cannot ignore business. Otherwise, this will always be a hobby part”
businesstoday.in
“The main thing is about how do you hasten testing and certification”
businesstoday.in
Sources
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