Deep-tech startup Velmenni has raised ₹30 crore (≈$3.3 million) in a pre-Series A round led by pi Ventures, with participation from MountTech Growth Fund-Kavachh and Apekso.
The company had earlier raised a similar amount in seed funding and secured ₹7 crore in grants from the Department of Telecommunications and the Ministry of Defence’s iDEX initiative.
The fresh capital will be used to accelerate commercialisation of its Free Space Optics (FSO) and Li-Fi solutions, build customised offerings for defence and enterprise use cases, and expand into international markets.
Founded in 2014 by Deepak Solanki, Velmenni develops light-based wireless communication technologies, leveraging Li-Fi (Light Fidelity) and Free Space Optics (FSO) to deliver secure, high-speed connectivity for telecom, defence, and enterprise networks.
As rising data demand strains traditional radio frequency spectrum, Velmenni’s optical communication systems use light and laser-based links, eliminating the need for expensive spectrum licensing and fibre deployment while enabling secure, interference-free communication.
“With an all-weather-tested, 100% Made in India design, we offer over 10Gbps seamless connectivity across 1–25 km ranges,” said Deepak Solanki, Founder and CEO. “We are building a reliable, secure, and scalable alternative for both defence and dense urban telecom networks.”
The company has deployed India’s first commercial carrier-grade FSO backhaul links to power a private 5G network at a thermal power plant in Odisha, maintaining 99.999% uptime over 18 months in tropical conditions.
Velmenni has also secured a multi-million-dollar defence contract to deploy its specialised FSO solutions across Indian submarines, addressing connectivity challenges in harbour environments.
To date, the startup claims to have completed over 50 live deployments and multiple PoCs across India, Southeast Asia, and the US, working with Tier-1 telecom operators. Its products have received CE certification, with FCC approval underway for North American expansion.
