Mumbai-based spacetech startup InspeCity has raised $5.6 million (approx. ₹46 crore) in a seed funding round led by seasoned investor Ashish Kacholia, with additional participation from Speciale Invest, Shastra VC, Antler India, DeVC, MGF-Kavachh, and Anicut Capital. This funding marks a major milestone for the young company as it doubles down on its mission to reshape the future of satellite operations and in-space infrastructure.

Founded by Arindrajit Chowdhury, a professor at IIT Bombay, InspeCity is tackling a critical and fast-emerging frontier in space: In-Space Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing (ISAM). The company is building systems to extend satellite lifespans, improve propulsion solutions, and enable precise rendezvous, proximity operations, and docking (RPOD)—functions traditionally dominated by government space agencies or well-funded Western companies.

InspeCity’s flagship platform, VEDA (Vehicle for Life Extension and De-orbiting Activities), is the centerpiece of its ambitious roadmap. The funding will support ongoing R&D efforts and help scale this integrated solution, which is slated for a demo mission in 2027. If successful, VEDA could significantly lower the cost and complexity of maintaining aging satellites, while also addressing the rising concern of space debris.

This isn’t InspeCity’s first capital infusion—in April 2023, the startup raised $1.5 million in a pre-seed round led by Speciale Invest. Since then, the company has sharpened its technological focus and expanded its global outreach. Notably, it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Japan’s Orbital Lasers, aiming to explore laser-based space debris removal, a futuristic solution that could complement its core offerings.

As global interest in ISAM surges toward an estimated $14 billion market by 2030, InspeCity hopes to carve out a niche by offering cost-effective, high-performance alternatives to Western incumbents. While its current focus includes the US and Europe, the company is actively eyeing emerging opportunities in Southeast Asia and West Asia, regions that are ramping up their space ambitions.

For India, a country with rising aspirations in space exploration and satellite technology, InspeCity represents a new wave of deep-tech innovation—one that blends academic expertise, strategic vision, and global ambition. As the countdown to 2027 begins, all eyes will be on VEDA and the future it promises to unlock in orbit.