In an exclusive interaction with Indian Startup Times, Raghava Kundrapu, Founder and CEO of Sanyark, shared his remarkable journey from India’s premier space institution to building a next-generation satellite startup that aims to redefine navigation and connectivity from space.
A Career Rooted in Space Exploration
Raghava’s journey began with aerospace engineering at the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology, which eventually led him to spend over a decade in the spacetech industry, including about 8 years at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
During his time at ISRO, he worked across some of India’s most ambitious missions and technological programs, contributing to launch vehicles such as PSLV and GSLV. His work spanned both liquid and solid propulsion systems, while also extending into strategic initiatives such as human spaceflight and reusable launch vehicle technologies.
Reflecting on his experience, Raghava credits ISRO not just for technical depth but for instilling first-thinking principles along with strong leadership fundamentals — from program management and budgeting to managing complex interdisciplinary teams.
The Leap Beyond ISRO
The transition from public-sector space programs to entrepreneurship wasn’t immediate.
During his ISRO journey, the COVID-19 pandemic became a moment of reflection. With India’s private space ecosystem opening up, Raghava saw an opportunity to build something of his own.
Following his time at ISRO, Raghava moved into consulting with Deloitte, where he worked as a space technology consultant. This phase provided him with something engineers rarely get early in their careers — exposure to business strategy alongside technology.
“The experience helped bridge the gap between deep-tech innovation and real-world commercial viability,” he noted.
His entrepreneurial journey further took shape during his association with Hyderabad’s T-Hub ecosystem, a government-supported innovation hub that played an important role in nurturing Sanyark’s early momentum.
The Birth of Sanyark
Founded in 2025, Sanyark emerged from a powerful insight: the future of advanced mobility and autonomy will depend on far more precise navigation than what exists today.
From autonomous vehicles to drones and defense systems, next-generation applications demand centimeter-level accuracy — a significant leap from today’s meter-level navigation systems.
To solve this, Sanyark is developing software-defined, multi-mission Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites capable of delivering:
- High-precision navigation
- Reliable communication
— all from a single satellite infrastructure.
Rather than building isolated systems, Sanyark’s vision is to create a unified space-based platform that enables both positioning and connectivity integrated with terrestrial infrastructure.
Building a Deep-Tech Company from Scratch
Like many deep-tech startups, Sanyark’s early days were defined by uncertainty.
Identifying a clear market problem, assembling the right talent, and transitioning from technical vision to commercial strategy were some of the biggest challenges. Interactions with multiple VCs, along with his tenure at Deloitte working on fundraising activities for a few spacetech startups, helped him understand the nuances.
Started last year with co-founder Akhileshwar Reddy — who brought extensive ISRO experience from his work on the NavIC program — the company has since grown into a 20-member team focused on building scalable satellite infrastructure.
Today, Sanyark has successfully raised $2 million in pre-seed funding, marking an important milestone in its journey.
The Road Ahead
Sanyark’s ambitions extend far beyond a single satellite.
The company is currently working toward:
- Launching its first proof-of-concept satellite by the end of the year
- Demonstrating integrated navigation and communication capabilities
- Deploying a second satellite by 2027
- Forming global collaborations across automotive, drone, and semiconductor industries
At its core, the company aims to power the infrastructure needed for emerging technologies that demand ultra-precise positioning.
A New Space Moment for India
Raghava believes India is at a defining moment in deep-tech innovation — especially across space, semiconductors, quantum, AI, and advanced mobility.
His advice to aspiring entrepreneurs in space-tech is simple:
Focus on niche problem areas, build deep technical expertise, and start early.
As Sanyark prepares to enter its demonstration phase, the startup represents a growing wave of Indian private space ventures moving from launch capability to application-driven infrastructure.
And if successful, its satellites may soon play a crucial role in enabling the autonomous, hyper-connected world of tomorrow.
Interview Conducted by : Arushi Agarwal
