In a significant development for India’s emerging spacetech sector, Hyderabad-based startup Cosmoserve Space has secured $3.17 million (INR 28.11 crore) in its pre-seed funding round. The funding was led by prominent angel investor Alan Rutledge via US-based investment firm AVCF, marking one of the largest pre-seed rounds in the Indian spacetech ecosystem.
Founded in early 2025 by former ISRO scientist Chiranjeevi Phanindra, Cosmoserve Space is on a mission to tackle one of the most pressing challenges in the space industry — space debris. The startup is developing autonomous robotic spacecraft designed to identify and capture debris in Earth’s orbit and safely drag it to lower altitudes, where it will eventually burn up during atmospheric re-entry.
The round also saw participation from AUM Ventures, Shakti VC, and early Google investor Ram Shriram, further validating the potential of Cosmoserve’s pioneering technology.
Tackling the Space Debris Menace
Space debris, or “space junk,” refers to defunct satellites, spent rocket stages, and other fragments left behind in Earth’s orbit. With over 100 million pieces of debris currently orbiting the Earth, the risk to active satellites and future space missions is growing exponentially.
Founder Chiranjeevi Phanindra, a former deputy director of India’s Gaganyaan Mission and an expert in orbital mechanics, conceived the idea for Cosmoserve while representing India at the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC), a global coalition of 13 space agencies. Realizing the urgency to prevent catastrophic collisions in orbit, Phanindra decided to launch Cosmoserve Space to provide autonomous debris mitigation solutions.
“The need for sustainable space operations is more urgent than ever,” Phanindra said. “We’re building cutting-edge robotic spacecraft that can autonomously locate and capture hazardous debris before it becomes a threat.”
A Boost for India’s Spacetech Ecosystem
Cosmoserve is incubated at T-Hub, India’s premier innovation hub located in Hyderabad. The support from T-Hub has enabled the company to build strong technical and entrepreneurial foundations in a short time.
The latest capital infusion will be used to accelerate product development, expand the engineering team, and launch prototype missions in low Earth orbit (LEO). Cosmoserve also plans to collaborate with national and international space agencies to align with global debris mitigation standards.
The Road Ahead
With the space economy projected to reach $1 trillion by 2040, startups like Cosmoserve are playing a vital role in ensuring the sustainability of space operations. As more private companies and governments send missions to orbit, addressing the issue of orbital debris has become a top priority.
By combining AI, robotics, and aerospace engineering, Cosmoserve Space aims to establish itself as a global leader in space debris removal technology.
This pre-seed funding round not only underscores investor confidence in Cosmoserve’s vision but also highlights the growing maturity of India’s private space sector.
Keywords: ISRO scientist startup, Cosmoserve Space funding, space debris removal, Indian spacetech startup, autonomous robotic spacecraft, space sustainability, Chiranjeevi Phanindra, AVCF, Alan Rutledge, T-Hub Hyderabad
