Chennai-based drone intelligence startup Zuppa raises $1.5 million

Zuppa, a Chennai-based drone intelligence startup specialising in autonomous unmanned systems, has raised $1.5 million in a bridge funding round led by a group of seasoned entrepreneurs and industry backers.

The round was led by Rahul Dewan, founder of software engineering firm Srijan Technologies and Sangam Talks; Ajay Gupta, the entrepreneur behind Capital Foods, a fast-moving consumer goods company; and the Mangwani Family Office, former owners of Aquapharm Chemicals. The infusion is expected to strengthen Zuppa’s research and development efforts and enhance its role in India’s defence modernisation programs.

Founded over a decade ago by aerospace engineers Sai Pattabiram and Venkatesh Sai, Zuppa has quietly built a portfolio of fully indigenous drone navigation and control systems designed to operate in GPS-denied and low-connectivity environments—conditions that are often encountered in military and disaster response scenarios.

The startup's technology stack includes vision-based guidance systems, secure cyber-physical infrastructure, and AI-powered targeting tools tailored for the Indian armed forces.

“This funding is more than capital—it’s validation,” said Sai Pattabiram, Zuppa’s founder and managing director. “These are entrepreneurs who have scaled companies from the ground up. Their backing suggests that our deep-tech IP is not only defensible but deeply relevant to India’s security landscape.”

Zuppa’s momentum follows its deployment during Operation Sindoor, a recent military operation that exposed performance gaps in existing drone systems. Zuppa’s stack reportedly filled critical capability voids during the mission, reinforcing the strategic value of homegrown technology in sensitive operational theatres.

Co-founder and technical director Venkatesh Sai framed the latest investment as a strategic inflection point: “We are entering an AI-first era in unmanned systems. This funding enables us to build faster, smarter, and more securely for India’s next-generation defence needs.”

Zuppa also collaborates with academic institutions and government agencies to influence national drone policy and standardisation frameworks, an increasingly crucial space as India moves to formalise its drone ecosystem amid geopolitical tensions and aatmanirbhar (self-reliance) ambitions.