AI SaaS startup Astra shuts down amid co-founder differences

Astra, an AI-powered sales workflow automation startup, has ceased operations. The closure was announced by co-founder and CEO Supreet Hegde via LinkedIn, citing internal differences with fellow co-founder Ranjan Rajagopalan over the pace of growth.

Founded by IIT-Madras alumni, Astra aimed to automate 80% of account executive tasks and improve deal execution for enterprises. Despite securing two enterprise clients during its beta phase, the startup struggled to navigate long sales cycles and gain trust from companies over data access to tools like Salesforce, Slack, and G-Drive. 

The increasing complexity and confusion around AI agent platforms also added to the challenge.

The company was backed by Perplexity AI founder Aravind Srinivas

Srinivas had joined as an angel investor in March 2025. The startup’s co-founders include Hegde, previously VP of Global Business Development at HyperVerge, and Rajagopalan, who earlier worked with Proshort and Google. While future plans are undisclosed, Rajagopalan is reportedly building a new venture currently in stealth mode.