Bengaluru-based deep-tech startup AquaAirX has raised ₹12.5 crore in a seed funding round led by Rainmatter, the investment arm of Zerodha.
The round also saw participation from Prime Venture Partners, Wyser, and India Accelerator.
The fresh capital will be used to strengthen AquaAirX’s core technology stack, with a focus on improving system autonomy, air-to-water transition reliability, sensing, and communication capabilities.
The startup also plans to expand its engineering and research teams across robotics, autonomy, controls, and embedded systems.
Founded by Gouthami T S and Jitendra Kumar Purnmal Saini, AquaAirX is building autonomous amphibious platforms that can operate seamlessly across air and underwater environments.
The company’s technology is aimed at addressing intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance needs by eliminating the reliance on separate aerial and underwater systems.
Alongside its amphibious drone platform, AquaAirX is also developing a Hovering Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (HAUV) designed for precise underwater inspection, monitoring, and intervention. These systems are targeted at defence applications as well as high-value commercial use cases such as offshore energy and critical infrastructure monitoring.
Over the past year, the startup claims to have reached Technology Readiness Level 6 for its flagship platform. AquaAirX has also been selected for the Israel Aerospace Industries NeuSPHERE program and has achieved multiple milestones under India’s iDEX initiative.
