India, August 2026: Finvolve, a multi-stage venture capital fund, along with India Accelerator (IA), has announced an undisclosed pre-seed investment in KshatraLabs, an Indian DefenceTech startup building autonomous aerial interceptor systems to counter hostile drones and swarms.
The funding will support product development, engineering talent, IP and certifications, defence event participation, and operational needs, helping KshatraLabs progress its systems towards higher technology readiness levels (TRL) and field validation.
Flagship Technology – HAWK
KshatraLabs is developing HAWK, an autonomous aerial interceptor capable of:
- Detecting, tracking, and neutralising hostile UAVs at speeds of 89.5 m/s (300 km/h).
- Achieving launch readiness in under five seconds.
- Combining external sensors (radars) with onboard EO/IR sensors for autonomous terminal guidance.
- Powered by APEX, a proprietary autonomy stack enabling rapid, accurate response in high-speed scenarios.
Ashish Bhatia, Co-Founder, Finvolve & Founder & CEO, India Accelerator: “India’s evolving defence landscape requires indigenous technologies capable of addressing emerging threats with speed, autonomy, and cost efficiency. KshatraLabs is working on a critical capability gap in counter-drone defence through its high-speed autonomous interceptor technology.”
Rishav Dev Mishra, Co-Founder & CEO, KshatraLabs: “The future of deterrence relies on mass-manufactured, AI-native, autonomous systems operating at the edge. This investment will help us accelerate hardware development, strengthen engineering capabilities, and move closer to field validation and deployment.”
Strategic Context
- Counter-drone capabilities are emerging as a global defence priority.
- KshatraLabs is developing swarm-capable interceptors for coordinated response to mass drone threats.
- Building an AI-native C4ISR and JADC2 layer for multi-sensor fusion, real-time decision-making, and GPS-denied operations.
- Demonstrated autonomous interception and hardware-in-the-loop testing at 90 m/s.
- Engaged with the Indian Armed Forces for feedback on hardkill systems.
- Received a grant under the SISF scheme.
Future Roadmap
With fresh capital, KshatraLabs aims to:
- Advance swarm interceptor drones to TRL-6.
- Establish strategic partnerships.
- Conduct operational field trials.
- Progress towards defence procurement opportunities.
- Explore applications across critical infrastructure (airports, power plants, refineries, ports).
About KshatraLabs
Founded in October 2025 and headquartered in Bengaluru, KshatraLabs is a defence robotics startup building autonomous counter-drone systems and next-generation command and control technology. Its flagship system, HAWK, is designed for high-speed autonomous aerial interception in contested environments.
About Finvolve
Finvolve is a multi-thesis venture capital fund supporting startups from pre-seed to pre-IPO, with a focus on growth and late-stage capital. The fund partners with founders to provide capital, strategic guidance, and long-term support for sustainable scaling.
About India Accelerator
India Accelerator (IA) is India’s leading full-stack accelerator platform, sourcing and scaling high-potential startups. Operating across 33 hubs in 18 cities, IA has accelerated 250+ startups and committed ₹500 crore through Finvolve.
