This start-up plans to create India's alternative to GPS
What's the story
Chennai-based start-up VyomIC has announced its ambitious plan to build India's first private global satellite constellation. The project aims to offer high-precision positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) services. Founded by IIT-Madras alumni Lokesh Kabdal, Vibhor Jain and Anurag Patil, the company has raised $1.6 million in pre-seed funding for the project.
Investment breakdown
Funding details and future plans
The pre-seed round for the firm was led by Speciale Invest with participation from BYT Capital and DeVC. The funds will be used to advance the development of VyomIC's low Earth orbit (LEO)-based PNT payload, support its spaceborne demonstration mission, and also scale team hiring and business development efforts. This is just the first step toward their goal of deploying LEO satellites for PNT services.
Innovative approach
VyomIC's ambitious goal
VyomIC isn't just looking to create an Indian alternative to GPS but a next-generation global system designed for autonomy, security and precision. The start-up aims centimeter-level positioning and nanosecond-level timing critical for defense, finance, telecom and autonomous systems.
Tech benefits
Advantages of the new system
VyomIC's tech promises spoofing-proof as well as jamming-resistant signals, overcoming the weaknesses of current systems like GPS and GLONASS. The use of LEO satellites will ensure high precision, faster convergence, a stronger signal power, and better coverage in urban areas. Plus, it would also enable indoor PNT for navigation in closed spaces/buildings that were previously inaccessible.
Future outlook
Implications for the future
VyomIC's long-term vision is to deploy a full-fledged constellation for global users with secure, real-time navigation and timing services. This would lay the foundation for future autonomous systems and sovereign infrastructures. Vishesh Rajaram of Speciale Invest said, "In a world increasingly shaped by autonomy, defense tech, and time-critical infrastructure, resilient navigation becomes non-negotiable." He added that VyomIC's sovereign constellation addresses this need head-on.