Inbound Aerospace, an IIT Madras-incubated spacetech startup, has raised over $1 million in a pre-seed funding round led by Speciale Invest, with participation from Piper Serica.
The funds raised will be used to accelerate the R&D of its re-entry spacecraft, validate key sub-systems, and achieve critical design review milestones.
Founded in 2025 by Aravind I B, Vishal Reddy, and Abhijit Bhutey, Inbound Aerospace is developing autonomous and reusable re-entry vehicles designed to support in-orbit experiments, microgravity manufacturing, and commercial space research.
Inbound Aerospace vehicles can carry payloads to space to conduct in-orbit technology demonstrations and microgravity experiments, among other purposes. They will also be designed to be capable of then returning with the payload and landing at designated points.
Inbound Aerospace is targeting its first reentry launch in late 2027 or early 2028.
Aravind I B, Co-founder & CEO of Inbound Aerospace, said, “Microgravity environments are extremely hard to recreate on Earth. Our spacecraft is designed to enable cost-effective, repeatable, and safe return of payloads conducting in-orbit experiments and manufacturing — a capability that’s critical to unlocking the next wave of growth in the space economy.”
Vishesh Rajaram, Managing Partner at Speciale Invest, said, “We believe re-entry vehicles will become foundational infrastructure for the microgravity economy. Inbound’s deep-tech ambition spanning autonomy, material science, and systems engineering is bold and timely. We’re backing this team because they are not just thinking of access to space, but access back from space, which is equally critical for a sustainable orbital economy.”
