Green Aero, a next-gen aerospace startup incubated at IIT Delhi, has raised $1.6 million in seed funding led by pi Ventures, with participation from early-stage VC firm Antler. This milestone funding round will enable the development of advanced hydrogen-powered propulsion systems for both defence and civil aviation—a move poised to reduce India’s long-standing reliance on imported engines.
🚀 Key Highlights of the Funding Round
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Funding Amount: $1.6 million
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Lead Investor: pi Ventures
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Co-Investor: Antler
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Startup Incubator: Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi
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Founded By: Prithwish Kundu (Ex-research scientist at U.S. DoE’s Argonne National Laboratory)
🔍 What Is Green Aero Building?
Green Aero is developing indigenous propulsion platforms using hydrogen technology, targeting both military and commercial aviation sectors.
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First in India to test-fire a hydrogen-based aero engine (“The Blue Dragon”)
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Aims to build engines twice as efficient as current global aerospace propulsion systems
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Technologies address use cases in:
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High-performance drones
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Defence aircraft and naval vessels
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Future zero-emission hydrogen civil aircraft
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🧪 Tech Milestone: The Blue Dragon
Green Aero recently test-fired “The Blue Dragon”, India’s first hydrogen-based aero engine core.
Why it matters:
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Hydrogen propulsion offers zero emissions, high thrust, and scalable performance
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If commercialised, it will position India at the forefront of clean aviation technology
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Competes with global aerospace innovators on efficiency and sustainability
🎯 Strategic Impact on Indian Aerospace
India has historically imported turbine engines. Green Aero aims to reverse this dependency by:
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Creating homegrown propulsion systems for strategic and commercial use
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Supporting the Government of India’s goals on defence indigenization and green energy
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Enhancing India’s deeptech manufacturing capabilities
📅 What’s Next for Green Aero?
The startup plans to roll out multiple projects over the next 12–24 months:
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✅ Launch of a small-category hydrogen engine platform
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🚀 Begin development of supersonic-capable propulsion systems
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🌍 Commercialise zero-emission hydrogen engines for civil aviation
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🤝 Begin pilot programs with defence and aerospace partners
💰 Use of Funds
The $1.6M seed round will be used to:
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Set up an in-house propulsion test facility
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Expand engineering and R&D teams
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Accelerate the development of proprietary hydrogen propulsion systems
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Prepare for commercial partnerships and pilot trials
About the Founder – Prithwish Kundu
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Former scientist at Argonne National Laboratory (U.S. Department of Energy)
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Collaborative experience with NASA and the U.S. Army
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Deep expertise in aerospace propulsion, hydrogen systems, and clean energy innovation
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