India’s Digantara has secured $50 million in fresh funding as it steps deeper into the global race for space-based missile defense technology. The Bengaluru-based startup is expanding beyond space situational awareness, responding to growing government demand for faster and more precise missile tracking systems.
The Series B round was raised entirely through equity and brought in a mix of new and returning investors. New backers include 360 ONE Asset and Japan’s SBI Investment, alongside Indian media and tech entrepreneur Ronnie Screwvala. Existing investors Peak XV Partners and Kalaari Capital also doubled down on the company’s vision.
This new raise comes more than two years after Digantara’s $10 million Series A1 round. With this funding, the company’s total capital raised now stands at $64.5 million. The timing reflects a wider global shift, as governments increase spending on space-based surveillance amid rising missile activity and satellite interference.
Traditional ground-based radar systems struggle to offer early warning at the speed modern defense agencies require. Digantara is positioning itself as an alternative by combining space-based and ground-based infrared sensors with software-driven analytics and intelligence tools. The goal is simple but ambitious: detect threats earlier and track them more accurately from orbit.
Founded in 2020, Digantara originally focused on tracking orbital debris and objects that could damage satellites. That work laid the foundation for a broader defense platform. According to founder and CEO Anirudh Sharma, the same sensing and analytics stack used for space surveillance now powers the company’s missile detection capabilities.
The startup took a major step forward in January with the launch of its first space surveillance satellite, SCOT, short for Space Camera for Object Tracking. The satellite was deployed aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-12 mission and enables space-to-space observation, a critical capability for persistent monitoring.
A month later, Digantara opened an office in Colorado Springs as part of its U.S. expansion strategy. That move quickly paid off. The company has since signed contracts with U.S. Space Command, offering analytics as a service, and its American entity has been selected for the Missile Defense Agency’s SHIELD contract vehicle.
Sharma explained that Digantara’s next phase builds on years of sensor development. The company has already deployed infrared systems and is now extending into mid-wave and long-wave infrared domains. This expansion supports both missile warning and tracking across different ranges and altitudes.
To meet national security and regulatory requirements, Digantara has deliberately split its operations across regions. The U.S. team focuses on building larger satellites in the 100-kilogram class tailored to American defense needs. Meanwhile, the India team concentrates on analytics, data processing, and space situational awareness.
This geographic separation reflects the realities of defense procurement. Sensitive hardware must often be designed and manufactured domestically, even when software and analytics can be developed elsewhere. Digantara’s structure allows it to operate globally without violating local defense regulations.
So far, the company has closed contracts worth roughly $25 million. Its footprint now spans India, Singapore, and the United States. Digantara is also preparing for its next expansion phase, with plans to establish a European entity as early as 2026.
Manufacturing remains a key pillar of Digantara’s growth strategy. In India, the startup operates a 25,000-square-foot facility capable of producing up to five satellites at the same time. That capacity is set to increase significantly over the next year.
Digantara has already signed a memorandum of understanding with the Andhra Pradesh state government to build a much larger facility. Once operational, the site could manufacture as many as 30 satellites simultaneously, giving the company one of the largest private satellite production capabilities in the region.
On the domestic front, Digantara has also been selected as the winning bidder for multiple Indian government defense tenders. Administrative processes are still underway, but Sharma said work is expected to begin soon.
Looking ahead, the company plans to scale both its space-based and ground-based infrastructure through 2026 and 2027. This includes launching additional electro-optical and lidar satellites for space surveillance, as well as deploying dedicated space-based sensors for early missile warning and tracking.
Digantara is also exploring future applications for its lidar and laser technologies, including potential use in interceptor systems. While still early, these efforts signal a broader ambition to play a role across the missile defense value chain.
Satellite launches will accelerate over the next year. Another mission is scheduled with SpaceX in March, followed by launches in June and October. The October mission alone will deploy multiple satellites. In total, Digantara aims to place 15 satellites into orbit over the next two years.
The newly raised capital will fund these launches and support geographic expansion. Around $7 million to $10 million is allocated for U.S. growth, while $2 million to $3 million will support the company’s European setup. The remaining funds will be used to scale manufacturing and operations in India.
Financially, the startup is already seeing momentum. Sharma said revenues have grown more than tenfold over the past two years, though he declined to share exact figures. Digantara is targeting annual revenues between $25 million and $30 million within the next 18 months as government contracts ramp up.
Today, Digantara employs around 125 people, including roughly 80 to 85 engineers. As missile defense and space surveillance become central to national security strategies worldwide, the company is positioning itself as one of India’s most ambitious players in orbital defense technology.
