Zuppa raises ₹5 cr funding to scale its Micro Drone Ajeet Mini
Zuppa’s micro drone Ajeet Mini
Zuppa, a deep-tech drone company specializing in cyber-secure autonomous systems, has raised ₹5 Crore in a strategic funding from Sangam Talks founder Rahul Devan.
Interestingly, the investment follows a conversation between Rahul Devan and Zuppa’s Founder & Technical Director, Venkatesh Sai, during a Sangam Talks podcast, where the two explored the urgent need for secure indigenous defence technologies.
The investment is part of a larger bridge round of ₹10 crores that Zuppa is currently involved in that it plans to close by end of May, to expand its channel partner network and enhance the availability of its DJI-equivalent Ajeet Series of Drones, the company said in a statement.
India’s border security challenges continue to intensify, particularly along the western front, and Zuppa’s Ajeet Mini drones offer a decisive solution.
Zuppa says it is among only seven companies globally—and the sole Indian player—with a proprietary autopilot systems built on its patented Disseminated Parallel Control Computing in Real Time (DPCC) architecture. This cyber-physical stack powers the company’s flagship Ajeet Series drone platforms
“Recently validated by the Indian Army at multiple locations—including high-altitude zones above 11,000 feet—the Ajeet Mini is India’s first indigenous kamikaze/micro-armed drone platform. Designed as a direct replacement for DJI drones, it strengthens India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat vision by reducing reliance on foreign hardware and minimizing cybersecurity vulnerabilities,” Zuppa said.
Zuppa’s Founder & Technical Director Venkatesh Sai, said. “While the company has been approached by several investors post the wide spread use of drones in “Operation Sindoor”, we believe that the investor’s understanding of technology is a crucial fit from ZUPPA’s perspective given that Drones is a contemporary technology domain especially in defence with short application cycles.”
“India must future-proof its defence capabilities through homegrown, cyber-resilient technologies. Zuppa’s Ajeet Mini and NavGati autopilot stack represent that future. I’m excited to support this mission,” said Rahul Devan, Founder of Sangam Talks.
Published on May 20, 2025
