Bellatrix Aerospace, a space technology startup in Bengaluru, has its roots in a project that co-founder Rohan M Ganapathy had worked on while at college in Coimbatore. In his second year of aeronautical engineering, he had visited Nasa in the US and had been exposed to the concept of electric propulsion for satellites as against the conventional chemical-burning ones.
Back home, Ganapathy started building an electric thruster—with a grant of `20 lakh from JSW Steel— hoping it would help him leapfrog into a doctoral programme after his engineering degree. He graduated and, by 2015, built a proof-of-concept version of the thruster, called microwave plasma thruster. That year, he co-founded Bellatrix with his friend Yashas Karanam, an electrical engineer, and the venture was incubated at the Indian Institute of Science’s (IISc) Society for Innovation and Development in Bengaluru.
This June, Bellatrix announced that it had secured $3 million in pre-series A funding from a clutch of investors led by venture capital (VC) firm IDFC-Parampara, and including the Munjal Group and actor Deepika Padukone’s KA Enterprises. One of the reasons investors found Bellatrix attractive was because it’s the only venture in India to have a development contract from Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) for its microwave plasma thruster, says Jatin Desai, general partner at Parampara Capital.
The development contract is unique because instead of giving a blueprint of a product, Isro has shared a problem statement with Bellatrix, and the startup is coming up with the technology and the eventual commercial product. “Normally Isro develops the technology, and gives contracts to vendors to build the product according to Isro’s design,” says Karanam, co-founder and COO at Bellatrix. “In our case, they have only given the specifications. We are developing the technology and solution and giving it to them.”
India’s space programme has thus far been a government-backed effort. But now that is changing, with the emergence of a clutch of space technology startups. From propulsion and rocket technology ventures such as Bellatrix, to satellite makers such as Dhruva Space and Team Indus that aspire to bid for entire programmes rather than supply piece-meal components, there are now about two dozen startups in this field compared to only a handful three years ago.
Continue reading your story on the app
Continue reading your story in the magazine
EARNING HIS STRIPES
Following the success of The White Tiger, newcomer Adarsh Gourav finds himself in haloed territory of global award nominations
Forbes INDIA Leadership Awards 2020-21
In a year when business leaders were forced to overhaul their strategies from growth to survival mode, the Forbes India Leadership Awards honour those who successfully navigated the pandemic by innovating and leading from the front
‘COVID-19 SPED UP EXISTING TRENDS IN THE MARKET'
Jean-Christophe Babin, CEO of the Bvlgari Group, on the impact of the pandemic on the luxury sector
How LTI Came Into Its Own
With Sanjay Jalona at the helm, the IT services company is winning against bigger rivals, stepping out of its larger parent’s shadow, and forging an identity for itself
Valuations of Consumer Companies in Slow Lane
Despite a bright business outlook, FMCG companies have not outperformed the markets
‘If You Don't Understand Technology or Data, You'll Become Obsolete'
Raja Rajamannar, CMO at Mastercard, talks about his book Quantum Marketing, and how marketers can stay relevant in the future
From Noun To Verb: Can Dunzo Do A Zoom?
It has raised close to ₹880 crore in six years, earned ₹27.5 crore and lost ₹338.4 crore. Critics may scoff, but Dunzo’s backers are not complaining, and co-founder Kabeer Biswas is chilled out
Bitcoin Gets A Shot In The Arm
Tesla’s $1.5 billion investment in cryptocurrency will encourage more corporates to gamble with it. Experts say India needs to join before it’s too late
Tech For Health: The Practo Way
With Covid-19 becoming a tipping point for business, the startup that helps people find and consult with doctors is doubling down on expanding and deepening its tech platforms
Can Koo Be King?
Forbes India delves deep into the new bird app and its content moderation policy to find out if the migration from Twitter will stick
Life Changing
I was happily married, happily employed, just plain happy. Until the accident
IN SEASON Chickpeas (GARBANZO BEANS)
Chickpeas appear in early recordings in Turkey well over 5000 years ago. India produces the most chickpeas worldwide but they are grown in more than 50 countries. An excellent source of carbohydrates, protein, fiber, B vitamins, and some minerals, they are a nutritious staple of many diets. The name chickpea comes from the Latin word cancer, referring to the plant family of legumes, Fabaceae. It is also known by its popular Spanish-derived name, the garbanzo bean. Kidney beans, black beans, lima beans, and peanuts are other familiar foods found in this legume family.
When the Signal Goes Out
Government-ordered internet shutdowns are becoming more frequent
Giving More, Taking Less
FRANCOIS BOUDERLIQUE learnt about the basic principle of Nature – to give more than you take – when he left a high-powered banking job in Paris to live and farm in Kutch, India. He realized that his understanding of eco farming was colored by his past and he needed to open his eyes to a new reality.
Moringa – Cook With Color
In India, moringa has long been used medicinally. This nutrient-dense green food, best known for its energy-boosting and anti-inflammatory properties, adds a mild spinach flavor to recipes like this delicious dip.
Wild-card playoff: Buffalo 27, Indianapolis 24
Stefon Diggs and the rest of the passing game ultimately came through in the end
CHINESE APP TIKTOK CUTS JOBS IN INDIA FOLLOWING BAN
Popular short-video Chinese app TikTok is cutting its workforce in India after hundreds of millions of its users dropped it to comply with a government ban on dozens of Chinese apps amid a military stand off between the two countries.
GAP YEAR ADVENTURES in the Age of CV19
Welcome to 2021, where it seems that masks are no longer just for Halloween. Few would dispute that 2020 was a year of major ups and downs. And, for many, the conditions sparked the question, “What am I doing with my life?”
Region To Region
Region To Region
YOGA & PEACE
DEEPAK CHOPRA speaks with DAAJI about the role Yoga has to play in bringing about world peace. This is an excerpt from their conversation broadcast on International Day of Peace, September 21, 2020. That documentary is available at https://heartfulness.org/en/international-day-of-peace/.