Aerospace and deftech startup Raphe mPhibr has raised $100 million in a fresh round of funding led by US-based venture capital firm General Catalyst, with participation from existing backers including Amal Parikh, Think Investments and several high-net-worth family offices.
The company which is led by Vivek Mishra as CEO and co-founder, claimed this to be the largest private investment in India’s aerospace manufacturing sector to date, taking its total capital raised to $145 million.
Founded in 2016 and based in Noida, Raphe mPhibr designs and manufactures aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and aims to use the new capital to expand its design and production capabilities.
The firm’s operations are aligned with the central government’s ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ and ‘Make in India’ initiatives, which encourage domestic development of critical technologies.
According to the company, the funds will be utilised to scale its vertically integrated facilities that span several engineering disciplines, including aerodynamics, materials science, structural mechanics and military-grade electronics.
It added that its manufacturing campus includes systems for metal processing, composite fabrication, engine development and embedded electronics, all housed under one roof.
General Catalyst’s Managing Director Neeraj Arora said, “We are proud to join forces with Raphe mPhibr on their transformative journey to redefine engineering-led manufacturing across a spectrum of critical applications.” He added that the company’s work aligns with the firm’s investment thesis on building secure, sovereign and sustainable systems.
While Raphe mPhibr has not disclosed its valuation, it said the funding round reflects investor confidence in its integrated manufacturing approach and indigenous technology development.
The company also stated that its platforms — such as the mR10 drone swarm, mR20 high-altitude logistics UAV, Bharat surveillance drone and the X8 maritime patrol unit — are already operational in various geographies, including remote and challenging terrain.
Think Investments’ Managing Partner Shashin Shah, an early investor, said, “This investment underscores our conviction that it will emerge as one of the foremost aerospace companies in India.”
The startup claims to be working closely with global technology suppliers including Dassault Systèmes, HENSOLDT and Safran, although the nature and scope of these collaborations have not been disclosed in detail.
Olivier Sappin, CEO of CATIA at Dassault Systèmes, said Raphe mPhibr’s implementation of the company’s product lifecycle platform “shows how virtual worlds help innovators achieve speed and sovereignty.”
Similarly, HENSOLDT CEO Oliver Dörre and Safran’s Alexandre Ziegler, in separate remarks, acknowledged Raphe mPhibr’s engineering and manufacturing capabilities. Ziegler referred to the company as “a technological and industrial adventure the likes of which can only be found in India.”
Although the firm presents itself as a defence technology provider, it has also indicated ambitions to contribute to broader high-tech manufacturing and exports. It says its UAV systems are undergoing validation for new markets and it is in discussions with potential partners in Europe and the Middle East.
Raphe mPhibr’s team includes over 600 personnel and it claims to hold more than 100 proprietary designs. The company has reportedly logged over one million kilometres of flight and is positioning itself as a long-term player in India’s defence and aerospace sectors.
