Aule Space, a deep-tech startup pioneering autonomous satellites that can dock with and service other satellites in orbit, has raised $2 million in its pre-seed funding round led by pi Ventures.
The round also saw participation from a clutch of angel investors, including Eash Sundaram (former Board Member of Intelsat and Founder of Utpata Ventures) and Arvind Lakshmikumar (CEO of defence tech company Tonbo Imaging), among others. Aule Space has been part of the Entrepreneurs First accelerator program and is also backed by the Transpose Platform.
The fresh funds raised will be used to expand its engineering team, build ground infrastructure for docking tests, and advance development of its first demonstration satellites, set to launch next year.
Founded in 2024 by Jay Panchal (CEO), Nithyaa Giri (CTO) and Hrishit Tambi (COO), Aule Space is a space technology startup building satellites that can approach and attach to other satellites in orbit. The startup aims to use this technology for extending the life of high-value satellites, inspecting space assets at close range, and safely retiring non-functional satellites, helping make space operations more sustainable and cost-effective.
The company plans to launch demonstration RPOD satellites next year to validate its docking technology and lay the groundwork for commercial deployment. In the long run, Aule Space aims to operate the robotic workforce for the in-space economy.
Jay, Co-founder and CEO of Aule Space, said, “Imagine buying an expensive car and abandoning it when the fuel runs out. This is how satellites worth over $100 billion are operated today, we want to change that. With launch costs coming down drastically, new forms of value generation will be unlocked in space. Large space assets that enable this will require routine assembly and service in space, for which our RPOD capabilities will be the key building block.”
Manish Singhal, Founding Partner at pi Ventures, said, “Aule Space is reimagining how satellites operate in orbit through its foundational RPOD technology, enabling safer, more cost-efficient, and sustainable access to space. What stood out to us was the rare combination of deep technical excellence and a clearly thought-through commercial roadmap. We believe Aule is building critical infrastructure that will underpin the next phase of the space economy across satellite servicing, orbital sustainability, and space security.”
