Hyderabad's Cosmoserve Space is building a "flytrap" for space junk
Hyderabad startup Cosmoserve Space, founded by former ISRO scientist Chiranjeevi Phanindra, is scheduled to test its Venus flytrap-inspired robotic arms.
These soft arms are designed to grab and remove unprepared space debris—think cleaning up the mess in Earth's orbit.
The company just raised $3.17 million from investors like Alan Rutledge and Ram Shriram to power its next steps.
How their tech stands out
Cosmoserve's AI-powered arms can lock onto floating junk without any extra prep or adaptors, unlike competitors who need special add-ons.
Their 150-kg Reviver Craft will drag debris down to safely burn up in the atmosphere, while their larger Mother Craft is designed to refuel the Reviver craft for multiple debris removal missions.
What's next for Cosmoserve?
Currently at prototype stage (TRL 4), Cosmoserve plans to hit advanced testing (TRL 7) by end of 2025 and show off an in-orbit demo in late 2026.
They're aiming to raise another $5 million—and they've already got interest from satellite operators in Europe and the US.