Digantara to use $50 million funding to launch 15 satellites, expand globally

Spacetech startup Digantara will deploy the $50 million raised in its Series B funding round to launch a 15-satellite constellation, scale up manufacturing and accelerate its global expansion beyond India and the United States, Founder and CEO Anirudh Sharma told CNBC-TV18.

The fresh capital marks a shift for the Bengaluru-based company from prototype development to full-scale commercial deployment. Sharma said the funding unlocks the ability to operate at scale, something that was not possible earlier despite multiple satellite launches and in-orbit tests.

“One thing that will definitely change because of this funding is that everything we have done so far has been at the prototype stage,” Sharma said. “But now this funding will enable us to achieve the scale that we need.”

A key focus for Digantara will be international expansion, particularly to be closer to customers in major markets. Sharma said close to $10 million from the round will be allocated specifically for expanding operations in the US and Europe, as the company looks to establish a stronger on-ground presence outside India.

“Given the sector that we operate in, it is very important for us to go global,” he said, adding that having offices in other geographies is critical to servicing customers effectively.

The remaining capital will be channelled towards infrastructure deployment, including satellite launches, as well as new strategic initiatives in missile bonding and early warning systems. Sharma said the most significant deployment of funds will be towards launching Digantara’s next 15 satellites into orbit over the 2026–27 period.

The company is also investing heavily in manufacturing capacity for spacecraft and space optics. Digantara is expanding its existing facility in Bengaluru to manufacture up to 30 small satellites a year, primarily focusing on platforms under 50 kilograms for the Indian market. In parallel, it is setting up a new manufacturing facility in Colorado Springs in the US to build larger platforms in the 100–150 kilogram range.

“Our Colorado Springs facility is focused on building larger platforms, where we are looking at launching missile detection satellites from our US entity,” Sharma said.

Sharma said Digantara is well prepared to execute a launch programme of this scale, having spent the last four to five years on research and development and achieving key technical milestones. The company’s recent Mission SCOT launch, conducted in January 2025, successfully demonstrated space-to-space observation capabilities.

“Since we have achieved all the prototyping and have launched and tested it in orbit, it is now about scaling,” he said. “We are very well prepared to scale this from one to 15 satellites.”

Digantara plans to distribute its satellites across multiple orbits to reduce data latency for customers, particularly those in defence and security applications.

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Alongside infrastructure, the company is also doubling down on talent. India and the US are expected to be the fastest-growing geographies for hiring, with a focus on senior leaders and specialists who have experience in scaling space programmes and companies.

On the financial front, Sharma said defence intelligence contracts have driven strong revenue growth over the past year. With the new funding and expanded customer pipeline, Digantara is targeting revenues of $25 million to $30 million by the end of calendar year 2026.

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“Fundamentally, we have seen multifold growth from last year to this year because of our defence customers,” Sharma said.

The Series B round, backed by a mix of strategic and financial investors, positions Digantara to transition into a global space surveillance and intelligence player, with scaled satellite deployments and manufacturing capabilities across continents.

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