Funding News: Aerospace Startup 'Sarla Aviation' uplifts $10 million in Series A1

Startup: Sarla Aviation

Founders: Adrian Schmidt, Rakesh Gaonkar, and Shivam Chauhan

About us: Sarla Aviation is an aerospace startup inspired by India’s first woman pilot, Sarla Thukral. It aims to drive the future of mobility by making flying cars the heart of India's public transport, paving the way for faster, more accessible and cost-effective transportation. Their mission is to win for India and revolutionize how people move.

Founded Year: 2024

Office: Bengaluru

Sector: Aviation Component Manufacturing

Funding Round: Series A1

Investors: Accel, Flipkart Co-Founder Binny Bansal, Zerodha Co-Founder Nikhil Kamath, and Swiggy Co-Founder Sriharsha Majety.

The Bengaluru-based company has raised $10 million in Series A funding round. The fresh funds will be used to set up a research and development center in Bengaluru, expand its team beyond the current 30 employees, and advance prototype development to refine its technology.

Sarla Aviation aims to begin commercial operations in 2028, starting with airport transfers in Bengaluru before expanding to Mumbai, Delhi, and Pune. The company also plans to offer free air ambulance services alongside commercial ride-sharing flights.

It has already partnered with Bengaluru International Airport to prepare for its service launch, joining competitors like the ePlane Company and Archer Aviation in tapping India’s growing air taxi market.

Adrian Schmidt, Co-Founder and CEO of Sarla Aviation says, “Our flying taxis are not just about enabling instant and affordable air mobility—they represent a bold step toward unlocking India’s true economic potential and solving for critical bottlenecks to our productivity like traffic congestion and pollution”.

Website: https://www.sarla-aviation.com/