Defence-tech startup Constelli raises $20 Mn led by General Catalyst

Defence technology startup Constelli has raised $20 million (approx Rs180 crore) in a funding round led by General Catalyst along with participation from 360 One Asset Management and existing investor Pravega Ventures.

The Hyderabad-based company had earlier secured $3 million in a pre-Series A funding round back in January last year led by Pravega Ventures.

The proceeds will be deployed towards product research and development focused on next-generation electronic warfare and communication payloads across platforms, including drones, ground systems, naval vessels and satellites, Constelli said in a press release.

Co-founded in 2017 by Satya Gopal Panigrahi and Avinash Chenreddy, Constelli specializes in developing advanced signal processing solutions and tools that enhance the design, development, and testing of critical aerospace and defence systems.

Constelli leverages modern technologies and advancements in hardware and software, modeling and simulation, and distributed computing to achieve transformation. The company focuses on enhancing technical sophistication and expediting the development lifecycle of payloads for airborne and ground defence platforms.

The company's products and services are used globally by organizations developing radar and electronic warfare (EW) systems. It also serves India's Ministry of Defence, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), and defence contractors in South Korea, Australia, and Singapore.

Constelli plans to set up infrastructure for rapid prototyping and early-stage production to speed up deployment of field-ready systems.

Recently, the union budget allocated Rs 7.84 lakh crore to the defence ministry for 2026-27, compared to Rs 6.81 lakh crore for the current financial year.

Other notable players in this space are NewSpace Research & Technologies, IdeaForge, Garuda Aerospace, and others.

Earlier this week, General Catalyst led a $16.6 million round in B2B cross-border payments startup Xflow. The US-based venture capital firm has already announced plans to invest $5 billion in India over the next five years.