Bengaluru-based spacetech startup The Guild raises $20.5 million from TDK Ventures, others

The Guild (formerly known as EtherealX), a Bengaluru-based spacetech startup building first fully reusable medium-lift rocket, has raised $20.5 million in a Series A funding round led by TDK Ventures and BIG Capital, with participation from Accel, Prosus, Yournest, Campus Fund, BlueHill, and Riceberg.

The round valued the startup at $80.5 million. So far, it has raised $25.5 million in funding.

“Securing the backing of a strategic partner like TDK Ventures validates our vision to rearchitect today’s unipolar access to space into a truly multipolar frontier, and catalyze civilizational progress,” said Manu Nair, Co-Founder and CEO, Ethereal Exploration Guild.

“Their expertise in avionics, hardware optimization to reduce latency, and high-performance components will strengthen our hand as we push the Razor Crest Mk-1 toward rapid development and flight qualification. With their support, we are confident to hit our aggressive timelines, unlock meaningful launch flexibility, and establish a new cost baseline for orbital access,” added Manu.

Founded in 2022, The Guild said it will soon begin a series of tests of its engines, such as the 1.2MN Booster Stage of the TDV, powered by what it calls the world’s most powerful reusable semi-cryogenic engine called The Stallion. The upper stage of the TDV and Full-flow Segregated Cooling Cycle (FSCC), a novel propulsion feed cycle designed to enable second-stage reusability, will also undergo testing.

The Guild will also commission the establishment and development of BASE-002 in Space City, Andhra Pradesh, for integrated stage and engine firing for Booster and Upper Stage qualification. The Guild will look to achieve the above while ensuring the continuous and sustained operation of BASE-001 in Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu, for testing of their 80kN Pegasus Engines.

“TDK Ventures is thrilled to back the Guild in its goal to reshape the medium-lift space-launch industry,” said Nicolas Sauvage, President of TDK Ventures.

“The company aligns seamlessly with our vision for transformative innovation, excelling in every critical metric for market leadership: slashing launch costs to $500 per kilogram to unlock vast market potential, pioneering novel technologies to streamline development, and harnessing India’s rich ISRO expertise and cost-efficient supply chain."