SpaceTech startup TakeMe2Space has secured ₹5.5 crore in a pre-seed funding round led by Seafund, with participation from Artha Venture Fund, Blume Ventures, AC Ventures, and other angel investors.
The funds will support the launch of MOI-1, India’s first AI laboratory in space. TakeMe2Space has already completed space missions in collaboration with ISRO’s POEM (PSLV Orbital Experiment Module) platform, showcasing a radiation shielding coat.
In a recent interview with AIM, Ronak Kumar Samantray, founder and CEO of TakeMe2Space, said that the company is working towards building indigenous solutions for space exploration and is using AI to process data directly in orbit, reducing latency and bandwidth requirements.
The startup’s mission is to make space accessible and affordable for research institutions and commercial entities alike, fostering innovation in the sector.
“This funding is a testament to our team’s dedication and the impact we are creating in the space tech industry. With the support of our investors, we are excited to accelerate our growth and the first AI Lab to more customers globally,” Samantray added.
TakeMe2Space will focus on ensuring a smooth experience for its AI-lab customers. The company’s go-to-market strategy involves adopting TakeMe2Space-developed satellite subsystems in India, Australia, and Europe.
Meanwhile, Manoj Kumar Agarwal, managing partner at Seafund, commented, “TakeMe2Space has been working tirelessly with its upcoming MOI-1 launch, which will be a game changer towards building data centres in space. The funding will help the company scale to the next stage and also expand its satellite subsystems on a global level.”
In the past year, TakeMe2Space has grown to over 17 team members and built over 15 satellite sensors and subsystems. The company expects revenue to double in the next 12 months.
Samantray had previously told AIM that their goal is to ensure everybody’s ideas can be taken to space. “You don’t have to be in NASA, ISRO, or an IIT to run an experiment in space. Sitting in Kerala, Delhi, or even Antarctica, you should be able to operate a satellite.”
