VyomIC Secures $1.6 Mn to Build a GPS Alternative From India

VyomIC, a space technology startup founded by IIT-Madras alumni, has raised $1.6 million (₹14 crore) in a pre-seed round led by Speciale Invest, with participation from BYT Capital and DeVC.

The company said, the funding will support the development of a Low Earth Orbit (LEO)-based Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) payload, an upcoming space demonstration mission, and team expansion.

VyomIC plans to build Bharat’s first private global satellite constellation, offering secure and precise navigation services. “We’re not just building an Indian alternative to GPS, we’re building a next-gen global system, engineered for autonomy, security, and precision,” co-founder Vibhor Jain said.

Resilient navigation systems

The startup was founded by Lokesh Kabdal, Vibhor Jain and Anurag Patil. It aims to develop spoofing-proof and jamming-resistant signals. VyomIC said its technology will deliver high precision, faster convergence, stronger signal power and indoor navigation capabilities, addressing the limitations of current systems such as GPS and GLONASS.

“In a world increasingly shaped by autonomy, defence tech, and time-critical infrastructure, resilient navigation becomes non-negotiable. VyomIC’s vision of a sovereign constellation addresses this need head-on,” Speciale Invest managing partner Vishesh Rajaram said.

Long-term vision

VyomIC’s roadmap includes launching a full constellation to provide secure, real-time navigation and timing services worldwide. The team earlier led Avishkar Hyperloop, India’s student-led hyperloop initiative, and later managed drone swarm deployments for government use.

The company said these experiences underscored the global demand for independent navigation systems amid rising security threats and reliance on foreign-controlled platforms.

This marks Speciale Invest’s seventh investment in the space sector, further strengthening its portfolio of deep tech ventures in India.