Daily brief on deep tech and climate tech news from India and around the world.
Illustrative image to reflect India’s net zero efforts. Proud Indian Farmer Standing by Solar Panels Promoting Renewable and Sustainable Energy.
For today’s episode of The Climate on Monday, I thought I’d bring you a brief conversation with some of the key people at The Sustainability Mafia, or SusMafia, about their upcoming SusCrunch 2025 event for anyone who’s a stakeholder in India’s efforts to hit net zero.
Joining me on this episode are three leaders from SusMafia — Anirudh Gupta, Saksham Bansal, and Rajat Kukreja — to discuss SusCrunch 2025, a climate collaborative summit, happening in Bengaluru.
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SusCrunch 2025, organized by SusMafia, is envisioned as more than just another conference. It’s a founder-led gathering designed to accelerate climate solutions by connecting some 400 decision-makers—founders, investors, corporates, and ecosystem leaders — in an action-focused, no-panels, all-collaboration format.
Hosted at the Bangalore Creative Circus, on the 19th, the event promises a blend of hands-on sessions, giving-oriented networking, and the launch of the India Climate Opportunity Map, a resource spotlighting 25 high-potential startup white spaces rooted in real market gaps and founder insights.
Whether you’re a climate entrepreneur, investor, or simply passionate about sustainable innovation, this episode offers a glimpse into the conversations and collaborations shaping the future of climate tech in India.
In Conversation
In-depth conversations with entrepreneurs, investors, industry leaders and other stakeholders building India’s deep tech and climate tech ecosystems.
Takeaways from conversations with entrepreneurs, investors, industry leaders and other stakeholders building India’s deep tech and climate tech ecosystems.
In a recent episode, I spoke with Murari Ramkumar and Dr. Nagesh Kini, founders of Vimano, a deep-tech startup specializing in advanced nanotechnology and materials science. The company focuses on developing ion-conductive membranes that are critical components for energy transition applications, including redox flow batteries, electrolysers for green hydrogen production and proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells.
In our conversation, Murari and Dr. Nagesh touched upon everything from how a chance meeting led to Vimano years later, the story behind the name of their startup and the various lessons from building a deep tech hardware company out of India. Here are my top 10 takeaways.
1. Founders’ journey: From Thermax to deep-tech entrepreneurship
Murari and Dr. Nagesh first met at Thermax, where Murari interned and Nagesh led R&D in emerging energy technologies. Their shared expertise in material science and exposure to energy conversion technologies inspired them to launch Vimano.
After years in academia and industry, they combined their experiences to address critical challenges in the energy transition, ultimately founding Vimano to develop advanced membrane technologies for clean energy applications.
2. The genesis and meaning behind the name Vimano
The name ‘Vimano’ is a blend of three words: ‘Virya’ (energy or intensity in Sanskrit), ‘ma’ from materials, and ‘no’ from nano. This reflects the company’s mission to create sustainable, efficient, and cost-effective materials through nanoscience for energy applications. The founders sought a name that reflected their focus on energy, materials, and nanotechnology.
Vimano’s innovation lies in its proprietary ion-conductive membranes, which are engineered for high performance in electrochemical devices like flow batteries, electrolysers, and fuel cells.
Their technology taps nanoscale features and custom material formulations. The team has developed specialized methods to scale up production while retaining nanoscale properties, enabling tailored solutions for specific industrial applications.
4. Real-world applications: Batteries, hydrogen, and satellites
Vimano’s membranes are targeted at uses including stationary power via flow batteries, hydrogen production and fuel cells, and satellite thermal management that India’s space agency ISRO is testing out as a potential import substitute product.
Flow batteries enable long-duration energy storage for grids, while hydrogen applications support green fuel generation and cleaner power from hydrocarbons. In satellites, these membranes provide passive thermal management, acting as efficient heat shields to protect sensitive electronics from extreme temperature variations in space.
5. Overcoming manufacturing challenges through ingenuity
Operating with limited funding, and bootstrapped for its first five years, Vimano built most of its manufacturing tools in-house, using local vendors and partners.
The founders’ backgrounds in both academia and industry enabled them to innovate frugally, scaling up from small lab samples to half-meter membranes. This hands-on approach allowed them to control costs, iterate quickly, and develop expertise in scaling nanomaterial-based products for industrial use.
6. Achieving product-market fit and commercialization milestones
Vimano is progressing through key commercialization stages, measuring success by technology readiness, manufacturing readiness, and adoption readiness levels. Their membranes are already in pilots at ISRO and are being evaluated by device manufacturers. While some applications are closer to full market adoption, others require further validation. The company’s focus is on demonstrating consistent quality and performance at scale to secure broader industry buy-in and achieve lasting product-market fit.
7. VC funding and growth trajectory
The company recently closed a $2.9 million seed round led by Ankur Capital, with additional support from syndicate partners. This funding will enable Vimano to expand manufacturing capacity, support R&D, and pursue pilot projects with industry partners.
Prior to this, Vimano operated with founder capital, grants, and early-stage investments. The current round provides a runway for 24 months, with the team remaining opportunistic about future fundraising as they scale.
8. Building a globally relevant supply chain from Bengaluru
Vimano’s headquarters and core team are based in Bengaluru, with plans to expand both domestically and in the US. While India offers cost advantages and a growing talent pool, the company also seeks to leverage advanced infrastructure and industry networks in the US and Europe.
Their business model is B2B, supplying device manufacturers and system integrators worldwide, with a strong export orientation due to the concentration of device makers abroad.
9. Focus on team and infrastructure for the next growth phase
Currently, Vimano has about 10 full-time and six part-time employees, with a strong emphasis on R&D and application development. The next phase involves building out manufacturing infrastructure, creating controlled environments for consistent production, and strengthening the team with both technical and commercial talent.
Achieving repeatable, high-quality manufacturing at scale is a top priority for enabling global supply and long-term competitiveness.
10. Vision: Turning a good product into a great, sticky solution
The founders are committed to transforming their promising technology into a “great product” that is indispensable to customers, even in legacy sectors with entrenched incumbents. Their goal is to build a globally relevant, resilient supply chain and become a key enabler in the clean energy transition.
Over the next two years, Vimano aims to consolidate its technological advances, scale production, and deepen customer relationships to secure a lasting foothold in the global energy market.
Daily brief on deep tech and climate tech news from India and around the world.
Airalo’s founders Abraham Burak and Ahmet Bahadir Ozdemir. The eSIM provider has just raised $220 million in an investment that values it at $1 billion. Image courtesy company.
India launches ₹10,000 crore second tranche of deep tech fund
Union Minister Piyush Goyal announced a ₹10,000 crore second tranche under the government’s ‘Fund of Funds’ at Sangam 2025, aiming to strengthen India’s deep tech ecosystem. The fund will support the entire technology lifecycle, from research to commercial deployment, focusing on AI, machine learning, and data analytics. Guidelines for capital deployment are being finalized, and the initiative complements the recent ₹1 lakh crore RDI for science and technology.
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Deep tech policy initiative #100DesiDeepTechs launched in India
A new multi-stakeholder initiative called #100DesiDeepTechs has been launched to identify and support 100 leading deep-tech startups in India. Developed with Startup India, MEITY Startup Hub, and IIT Madras, the program will facilitate closed-door policy dialogues, culminating in a whitepaper with sectoral recommendations. Focus areas include semiconductors, defence, quantum tech, green hydrogen, and advanced manufacturing.
Professors turn founders boosting India’s deep tech ecosystem
At IIT Madras’s annual alumni meet, a ₹200 crore venture capital fund was announced to back startups emerging from the institute. This reflects a growing trend of technology professors becoming founders, contributing to India’s deep tech gold rush. The move is expected to accelerate commercialization of academic research and foster a robust innovation ecosystem.
Varda Space raises $187 million to accelerate drug manufacturing in space
Varda Space Industries has secured $187 million in a Series C funding round led by Natural Capital and Shrug Capital, bringing its total raised to $329 million. The funds will scale up robotic drug production in microgravity, where pharmaceuticals crystallize differently, enabling novel formulations. Varda has completed three successful space missions, expanded its lab facilities, and aims to deliver the world’s first microgravity-enabled drug formulation for research and improved drug development.
MIT researchers’ Foundation EGI raises $23 million for AI-powered engineering
MIT researchers have secured $23 million for Foundation EGI, a startup aiming to improve engineering with AI. Their platform seeks to streamline manufacturing by addressing fragmented specifications and outdated processes, promising efficiency gains for industries struggling with legacy systems and siloed knowledge.
QuiX Quantum secures €15 million to build universal photonic quantum computer
QuiX Quantum, a Dutch startup, has raised €15 million in Series A funding to deliver the world’s first single-photon-based universal quantum computer by 2026. The investment, led by Invest-NL and the EIC Fund, will support development of a scalable, energy-efficient system based on silicon-nitride chips. QuiX aims for compatibility with data centers and applications in chemical engineering, drug development, and machine learning, reinforcing Europe’s leadership in quantum technology.
EU unveils draft code to help firms comply with AI rules
The European Commission released a draft code of practice to help companies adhere to new AI regulations. The code emphasizes copyright protection, systemic risk mitigation, and safety, aiming to guide firms as they navigate the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence compliance in the EU.
AI slows experienced software developers in familiar codebases, study finds
Contrary to expectations, a recent METR study found that advanced AI tools can actually slow down experienced software developers when working on codebases they know well, challenging the assumption that AI universally boosts productivity in software engineering.
Global end-user spending on generative AI models forecast to reach $14.2 billion in 2025
A new report projects that worldwide end-user spending on generative AI models will hit $14.2 billion in 2025. The surge is driven by rapid enterprise adoption and integration of GenAI into products and services, with significant investments from tech giants. The trend signals a major shift in how businesses use AI for productivity and innovation.
Humanoid robot startup Diligent Robotics recruits Cruise execs for expansion
Diligent Robotics, known for its hospital logistics robots, has hired two senior executives from robotaxi company Cruise. This move signals the company’s ambition to expand beyond healthcare and scale its humanoid robotics platform for broader commercial applications.
Airalo lands $220 million to become the world’s first eSIM unicorn
Airalo, a global eSIM provider, has raised $220 million in a funding round led by CVC, pushing its valuation past $1 billion. Founded in 2019 by Ahmet Bahadir Ozdemir, and backed by investors including Peak XV Partners, Rakuten Capital, Singtel Innov8 and Antler, Airalo addresses the pain points of international travel connectivity by offering affordable, instant eSIM activation in over 200 countries.
The company’s user-centric approach includes flexible data, text, and voice plans, and a new omnichannel app experience. With 20 million users, Airalo plans to expand its enterprise solutions and global reach, aiming to make connectivity simple and accessible for travelers and businesses worldwide.
In Conversation
In-depth conversations with entrepreneurs, investors, industry leaders and other stakeholders building India’s deep tech and climate tech ecosystems.
Takeaways from conversations with entrepreneurs, investors, industry leaders, and other stakeholders building India’s deep tech and climate tech ecosystems.
Trained on surgical videos and powered by advanced machine learning, the SRT-H robot adapted in real time to unpredictable scenarios, responded to voice commands, and made surgical decisions like a human trainee.
This breakthrough marks a significant step toward clinically viable autonomous surgical systems capable of operating in real-world, variable conditions.
Australian researchers at CSIRO have, for the first time, applied quantum machine learning (QML) to semiconductor fabrication, improving the modeling of Ohmic contact resistance—a critical factor in chip performance.
Their Quantum Kernel-Aligned Regressor (QKAR) outperformed classical machine learning on small, complex datasets, suggesting QML could reduce manufacturing costs and improve device quality as quantum technologies mature, potentially revolutionizing the semiconductor industry.
EU SUPREME consortium to industrialize superconducting quantum chips
The EU-backed SUPREME project, coordinated by Finland’s VTT, will industrialize superconducting quantum chip fabrication over six years. Bringing together 23 partners from eight EU countries, the consortium will develop stable, high-yield processes and validate core technologies like Josephson junctions and 3D qubit integration. Pilot lines will launch in 2026, with fabrication processes available to academia and industry by 2027, strengthening Europe’s quantum technology ecosystem.
Transmutation offers promise, hurdles for nuclear waste reprocessing
A process called partitioning and transmutation (P&T) could convert long-lived radioactive waste into shorter-lived or stable elements, reducing nuclear waste hazards, IEEE Spectrum reports. The process involves separating transuranic elements and bombarding them with neutrons in special reactors. However, industrial-scale transmutation remains decades away due to technical, economic, and regulatory challenges. Large-scale deployment would require extensive new nuclear infrastructure, which is not currently supported in countries like Germany.
MIT develops ultra-efficient 5G chip for IoT expansion
MIT researchers have created a new, ultra-efficient 5G receiver chip that could significantly expand the reach of the Internet of Things (IoT). The chip uses a novel capacitor network for passive filtering, drastically reducing power consumption and improving resistance to interference.
Its compact design enables low-cost, low-power IoT devices to connect over 5G networks, paving the way for widespread deployment in health monitors, smart cameras, and industrial sensors.
Indonesian startup captures coolants to fight global warming
Recoolit, an Indonesian climate startup, tackles the overlooked issue of refrigerant emissions — super-pollutants far more potent than CO₂ — by capturing and destroying AC and fridge coolants.
Technicians are incentivized to recover and send these gases for safe destruction, with Recoolit selling carbon credits based on verified destruction. The company partners with Google to scale operations, addressing a growing climate threat as demand for cooling rises in developing countries.
Skleo Health raises €3M to expand rapid eye screenings in Germany
Skleo Health, a German healthtech startup, has secured €3 million to scale its AI-driven, six-minute eye screening service nationwide. The technology provides fast, accessible eye health assessments, aiming to detect diseases like glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy early. The funding will help expand the screening network across clinics and pharmacies, improving preventative care and reducing strain on ophthalmology specialists in Germany.
In conversation
In-depth conversations with entrepreneurs, investors, industry leaders and other stakeholders building India’s deep tech and climate tech ecosystems.
Takeaways from conversations with entrepreneurs, investors, industry leaders and other stakeholders building India’s deep tech and climate tech ecosystems.
Daily brief on deep tech and climate tech news from India and around the world.
The development of humanoid robots is advancing rapidly, with early versions already being trialed in environments ranging from factory floors to hospitals. The image above shows NEURA Founder David Reger with the company’s 4NE1 robot. Courtesy company.
AWS launches dedicated space accelerator for startups in India
Amazon Web Services (AWS) has launched a space accelerator in India, supporting 24 startups across diverse segments such as launch vehicles, satellite imagery, geospatial analysis, and precision farming, the world’s biggest cloud computing provider said in a recent press release.
The 14-week program, a result of AWS’s partnership with ISRO and IN-SPACe, offers up to $100,000 in AWS credits, technical training, and mentorship. Startups will gain expertise in AI, data analytics, and business fundamentals, with the programme culminating in a demo day to showcase their innovations.
Infographic courtesy AWS.
Syrma SGS to build India’s largest PCB unit in Andhra Pradesh with Rs 1,800 crore investment
Syrma SGS Technology, a Chennai-based electronics manufacturer, plans to invest Rs 1,800 crore to establish India’s largest multi-layer printed circuit board (PCB) and copper clad laminate (CCL) manufacturing facility in Andhra Pradesh, Economic Times reports. The integrated unit, expected to be commissioned by 2026-27 in Naidupeta near Tirupati, will use proximity to Chennai’s electronics hub and aims to reduce India’s reliance on imported PCB materials.
The company is in advanced talks with South Korean partner Shinhyup Electronics, to bring technological expertise to the project.
The facility will feature backward integration by manufacturing CCL, a critical raw material for PCBs, ensuring a stable and cost-effective supply chain. It will also house an R&D centre to drive engineering innovation. The PCBs produced will target sectors such as smart metering, healthcare devices, automotive electronics, and electric mobility.
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RoboBusiness Pitchfire competition opens for robotics startups
The 2025 RoboBusiness Pitchfire Startup Competition is now accepting applications from robotics startups. Held October 15-16 in Santa Clara, California, the event offers founders a chance to pitch their solutions to industry judges for a $5,000 prize and exposure to investors and industry leaders.
Eligible startups must be under five years old, have fewer than 30 employees, and be developing or commercializing robotics technologies. The application deadline is July 16, 2025.
Filics secures €13.5 million to expand robotics platform
German robotics startup Filics has raised €13.5 million in a new funding round led by Sandwater, Alven, F-LOG Ventures, and the Amazon Industrial Innovation Fund. The investment will accelerate development and international rollout of the Filics Unit, an autonomous double-runner robot system for pallet transport.
Filics aims to optimize its technology for floor block warehouses by late 2025 and expand into other European markets in 2026, addressing key logistics and space efficiency challenges.
NEURA Robotics and Hyundai partner to advance shipbuilding automation
NEURA Robotics has entered a strategic partnership with HD Hyundai Samho and HD Hyundai Robotics to develop and test quadruped and humanoid robots for shipbuilding. The collaboration combines NEURA’s cognitive robotics technology with Hyundai’s expertise in automation and welding, aiming to enhance efficiency, safety, and productivity in shipyards.
Robots will be trialed in real-world shipbuilding environments, addressing labour shortages and driving innovation in industrial automation.
Humanoid robots near tipping point as costs fall and adoption rises – Bain & Co
Humanoid robots are advancing rapidly, with new research showing they could soon match or surpass human labor in both capability and cost. According to a recent analysis by the multinational consultancy Bain & Co., four key trends are converging: robots’ mobility and dexterity now rival humans, AI-powered training is becoming easier, costs are dropping sharply, and generative AI is enabling more general-purpose intelligence.
The unit cost of humanoid robots has fallen by at least 40 percent since 2022, with some models now as affordable as minimum-wage labour in the US, Bain notes in its report on this topic, titled Humanoid Robots at Work: What Executives Need to Know.
Unlike fixed or wheeled robots, humanoid designs can operate seamlessly in human-centric environments without major retrofits, according to Bain. Their multipurpose nature and 24/7 availability make them attractive for industries facing labor shortages, especially as populations age and manufacturing skills erode in developed economies.
Market projections estimate the humanoid robotics sector could reach $38–$200 billion by 2035, with global startup funding in the field surging from $308 million in 2020 to $1.1 billion in 2024.
While mass deployment is still a few years away, Bain urges executives to start experimenting with prototypes and planning for integration. The technology’s rapid progress suggests humanoid robots will soon take on a significant share of physical jobs in manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, and beyond.
In Conversation
In-depth conversations with entrepreneurs, investors, industry leaders, and other stakeholders building India’s deep tech and climate tech ecosystems.
Takeaways from conversations with entrepreneurs, investors, industry leaders, and other stakeholders building India’s deep tech and climate tech ecosystems.
My guests today are Murari Ramkumar and Dr. Nagesh Kini, founders of Vimano, a deep-tech startup headquartered in Bengaluru, India, specializing in advanced nanotechnology and materials science.
The company focuses on developing ion-conductive membranes that are critical components for energy transition applications, including Redox flow batteries, electrolyzers for green hydrogen production and Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cells.
These technologies are essential for enabling cost-effective, long-duration energy storage and supporting the global shift toward renewable energy systems.
In this conversation, Murari and Dr. Nagesh give us a glimpse into their journey that started with a chance encounter at Thermax and has grown to a venture-funded membrane technologies startup, with early customers including the Indian Space Research Organisation. They are now backed by early-stage deep science and tech focused investor Ankur Capital, a VC firm that’s among the leaders in backing founders in India in sectors ranging from agri and biotech to B2B supply chain.
In this episode, the two entrepreneurs also delve into some of the technical and entrepreneurial hurdles of building a deep-tech startup in India, from fashioning their own manufacturing tools to navigating the funding landscape and scaling up in a resource-constrained environment. In fact, Murari and Dr. Nagesh bootstrapped Vimano for five years before Ankur Capital led their first institutional funding round.
Whether you’re an entrepreneur, a scientist, or simply curious about the future of deep tech in India, in this episode we offer a glimpse into a journey of turning lab-scale innovation into globally relevant products and solutions.
