Indian startup rooted in Hyderabad, Skyroot Aerospace, is now the first-ever enterprise in India to hit a $1.1 billion valuation in the space industry.
The Telangana-based enterprise secured “$60 million in fresh funding from Singapore's sovereign wealth fund GIC and Silicon Valley-based Sherpalo Ventures,” according to Reuters.
Founded in 2018 by former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientists, the national space agency, Skyroot, is now backed by BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager.
With the newly acquired $60 million capital, the startup’s funding in total to date amounts to $160 million. The global giants' involvement signals towards India’s space sector’s credibility.
The funding comes in light of the newly acclaimed tech unicorn, Skyroot’s launch for Vikram-1, which is set to become India’s first privately developed rocket to place satellites in orbit.
Additionally, Skyroot is aiming to fill the gap for “on-demand” launch services for small satellites.
The fresh capital will be spent on scaling manufacturing, increasing launch frequency, and advancing progress for Vikram-2 rocket, an improved 1-tonne class launch vehicle designed for heavier payloads.
With the upcoming launch of Vikram-1 orbital flight in June, the plan of action to manufacture a more advanced version of the rocket is in the works, thanks to BlackRock's backing.
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How is Skyroot Investment Relevant to Enterprise Tech?
The news represents timeliness for infrastructure management as Skyroot has been reportedly exploring “orbital AI data centres” for AI workloads as of May 2026, The Financial Express reported.
The question is whether an enterprise network will literally be moving to space. The possibility of IT leaders managing low-latency satellite links and off-world data nodes is no longer an assumption.
This would allow enterprises to customise a high-bandwidth data network and minimise reliance on traditional terrestrial infrastructure.
The maiden aircraft, Vikram-1, comprises a three-stage carbon-composite launch vehicle that can carry up to 350 kg to low Earth orbit. Some of its characteristics include 3D-printed engines and both solid and liquid propulsion.
In addition to using 3D-printed propulsion, Skyroot is also exploring the use of AI-driven signal detection. In space, you cannot afford "alert noise"—AI must filter telemetry data in real-time to prevent catastrophic failure.
Enterprises locally will benefit massively from Skyroots’ spatial innovation and deployment. They will now be able to launch private satellite constellations, paving the way for organisations to bypass terrestrial fibre bottlenecks and maintain total control over their data flow. Such an advancement would significantly boost enterprise resilience and autonomy.
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About Skyroot Aerospace
Skyroot Aerospace was founded in July 2028 by former ISRO scientists, Pawan Kumar Chandana and Naga Bharath Daka. In an aim to make launching into space an easier feat for enterprises, the scientists turned entrepreneurs hope to make small satellites “accessible and as routine as commercial air travel.”
The space startup headquartered in Hyderabad, Telangana, has a team of over 1k experts. In 2022, the aerospace firm launched Vikram-S, becoming India's first privately developed suborbital rocket. This rocket was a test for the development of Vikram-1
Vikram-1, originally scheduled to launch in April 2026, has now been pushed to June 2026. The fresh capital at their disposal will be used to scale up Vikram-1 and also develop Vikram-2.
Vikram-2 plans to be upgraded with a cryogenic upper stage carrying the ability to load 900 kilograms into LEO and 600 kilograms into SSO. The launch of the second vehicle is expected to take place as soon as 2027.
“We at Skyroot are excited about the upcoming Vikram-1 launch, India’s first private orbital rocket, marking a significant milestone both for India and the global space sector,” stated Pawan Kumar Chandana, co-founder and chief executive of Skyroot.
“This investment signals confidence from some of the world’s most reputed investors in Skyroot.”
Ram Shriram, founder and managing partner of Sherpalo Ventures, expressed his belief in Skyroot from the early days with conviction deepening as they march toward the launchpad with Vikram-1.
“Skyroot is building the foundational infrastructure for that future with the best cost-to-performance ratio in the orbital-launch industry, and what the team has achieved is remarkable.”
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