In a nation racing toward self-reliance in space, Prayagraj-based deep-tech startup Trishul Space has secured ₹4 crore ($480K) in a pre-seed funding round, igniting ambitions to revolutionize rocket propulsion. Led by the IAN Angel Fund, with participation from 8X Ventures and ITEL, the capital will accelerate R&D on advanced turbopump technology and the commercialization of Harpy-1—a high-performance liquid rocket engine designed for small satellite launch vehicles. Founded in 2022 by Aditya Singh, Divyam, and Rajat Choudhary, the trio of IIT alumni is tackling one of aerospace’s toughest challenges: building reliable, cost-effective engines that slash development timelines and lower entry barriers for emerging players. As India’s private space sector booms—valued at $8 billion and eyeing $44 billion by 2033—this funding positions Trishul as a key enabler in the global small and medium launch vehicle market, projected to exceed $15 billion by 2030, where propulsion accounts for 30-40% of costs. Will this Prayagraj powerhouse propel India to the stars, or remain grounded by engineering gravity?
Trishul Space emerges from the heartland’s ingenuity, headquartered in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, and operating out of IIT Delhi’s Research & Innovation Park. The founders, drawing from their IIT roots—Aditya in aerospace, Divyam in mechanical engineering, and Rajat in propulsion—recognized a critical bottleneck: Rocket engines are notoriously complex, expensive, and time-intensive, often stalling private ventures. Their solution? High-performance liquid propulsion systems powered by staged combustion cycles—the same tech driving SpaceX’s Raptors—for superior efficiency and thrust. Integrated with AI-driven failure detection mechanisms, these engines promise real-time diagnostics, reducing risks by 40% and enabling plug-and-play modularity for rapid integration into launch vehicles.
The $4 crore infusion validates this vision, earmarked for prototyping and testing Harpy-1, a scalable engine tailored for smallsat missions. “This investment is a strong validation of our vision to build India’s most advanced and reliable rocket propulsion systems,” said Rajat Choudhary, Co-founder. “With this support, we aim to accelerate the development and testing of our ‘Harpy-1’ engine, strengthen India’s space launch ecosystem, and move one step closer to making space access faster, affordable, and globally competitive.” IAN Angel Fund’s Kanwaljit Singh added, “Trishul Space represents the next wave of deep-tech innovation from non-metro hubs, aligning perfectly with our thesis on scalable space tech.”
This raise comes amid India’s space renaissance, spurred by IN-SPACe and the National Space Policy 2023, which opened 100% FDI for private players. ISRO’s commercialization push—via NSIL’s $10 million+ orders—has spurred 300 startups, with propulsion emerging as a priority. Trishul’s hybrid approach—liquid engines with AI safeguards—addresses the sector’s pain points: Traditional solid fuels limit precision, while liquid systems demand advanced turbopumps for fuel delivery. By focusing on staged combustion, Trishul achieves higher specific impulse (up to 350 seconds), cutting payload costs 25%. Operating from IIT Delhi’s park, the team benefits from world-class labs, prototyping Harpy-1 for 100-500 kg satellites—ideal for constellations like Bharti Airtel’s OneWeb.
The funding landscape for space tech is maturing: 2025’s $39 million across 13 rounds reflects a 61x surge from 2021, with iDEX nurturing dual-use innovations. Trishul’s pre-seed, closing technical risks, positions it for Series A by mid-2026, eyeing partnerships with Skyroot and Agnikul. Globally, the small-launch market—dominated by Rocket Lab and Relativity—offers $15 billion upside, where Trishul’s affordable engines could capture 5% share via exports to ASEAN.
Challenges remain: Supply chain vulnerabilities—65% components imported—and regulatory hurdles under DGCA’s type certifications demand resilience. Strategies: Leverage PLI’s $1.06 billion for semiconductors; collaborate with DRDO for TDF grants (₹30 crore non-dilutive). For SMEs: Vernacular dashboards in Hindi boost Tier-3 uptake 50%; SHG pilots in Uttar Pradesh yield 3x adoption. ESG audits attract IREDA bonds at 7% yields, greening R&D.
In Prayagraj’s unassuming labs, Trishul Space embodies India’s space democratizers—three founders turning theoretical turbopumps into tangible thrust. As ISRO eyes 100 launches yearly, this ₹4 crore spark could ignite a propulsion paradigm, lowering barriers for private players and exporting Indian ingenuity. The stars align for Harpy-1: Will Trishul’s engines roar to orbit, or whisper in wind tunnels? In a sector where failure is physics, this heartland hustle heralds hope.
Last Updated on Monday, November 17, 2025 6:53 pm by Entrepreneur Edge Team https://entrepreneuredge.in/
About The Author
