Indian spacetech startup Pixxel won iDEX grant to develop satellites for the Indian Air Force

Bengaluru-based spacetech startup Pixxel said it will manufacture miniaturized multi-payload satellites for the Indian Air Force after it won a multi-crore grant from iDEX (Innovations for Defence Excellence under the Ministry of Defence) for the Mission DefSpace Challenge under iDEX Prime (Space).

Received as a part of the SPARK grants by iDEX, The grant will equip Pixxel to develop small satellites of up to 150 kgs for Electro-Optical, Infrared, Synthetic Aperture Radar and Hyper Spectral purposes, marking a significant milestone in Pixxel's mission to revolutionize the space industry, the startup said in a statement.

Further, leveraging the indigenous technology and expertise that can enable ease of manufacture, low cost, and ease of launch, The spacetech startup will now manufacture small satellites for the Indian defence sector.

Awais Ahmed, CEO of Pixxel, said, "We are delighted to receive iDEX’s grant and utilize our expertise of building microsatellites in-house to manufacture satellites externally for the first time. This recognition highlights Pixxel’s dedication to pushing the boundaries of space exploration and innovation. We are grateful for the trust placed in us and excited to embark on this next phase of collaboration with the Indian government."

Shri Vivek Virmani, Planning Officer, DDP/MoD & Chief Operating Officer, iDEX-DIO said, "We are delighted to witness the remarkable evolution of startups in the Indian space industry, and Pixxel is a testament to the progress of private entities in this sector in such a short time. The grant is aimed at developing technologies addressing every stage of a space mission, right from mission planning and manufacturing to satellite data analytics and more.

The SPARK grants - offered to startups selected through the iDEX (Prime) & DISC initiatives are aimed at catalyzing innovation enabling Indian innovators and entrepreneurs to deliver technologically advanced solutions as well as propel deep-tech innovations in India.

Pixxel emerged as the winner of the grant from amongst a host of companies, owing to its pioneering technology in the area of hyperspectral satellite manufacturing.

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