Space-tech startup Inbound Aerospace raises $1 Mn in seed funding round

IIT Madras-incubated space-tech startup Inbound Aerospace has raised over $1 million in a pre-seed funding round led by Speciale Invest along with participation from Piper Serica. 

The fresh capital will be used to accelerate the R&D of its re-entry spacecraft, validate key sub-systems, and achieve critical design review milestones, Inbound Aerospace said in a press release.

Co-founded in 2025 by Aravind I B, Vishal Reddy, and  Abhijit Bhutey, Inbound Aerospace develops autonomous and reusable re-entry vehicles designed to support in-orbit experiments, microgravity manufacturing, and commercial space research. The startup’s technology  addresses a growing gap in microgravity infrastructure as the International Space Station (ISS) nears decommissioning in 2030.

“Microgravity environments are extremely hard to recreate on Earth. Our spacecraft is designed to enable cost-effective, repeatable, and safe return of payloads conducting in-orbit experiments and manufacturing — a capability that's critical to unlocking the next wave of growth in the space economy,” said Aravind I B, co-founder & CEO of Inbound Aerospace.

According to Inbound Aerospace, it focuses on providing a spacecraft platform that utilizes the unique microgravity environment of space to manufacture  products that  impact and improve the lives on Earth. Its  recoverable spacecraft platform enables customers to conduct in-orbit technology demonstrations and microgravity experiments, accelerating their product development timelines.

With the Government of India’s Bio3E policy (2024) and the growing interest in space-enabled pharma, biotech, and material science research, Inbound’s re-entry vehicles could become key enablers of in-orbit experimentation and commercial-scale manufacturing.