Indian-Norwegian Deeptech Aerospace Startup SiriNor Successfully Tests World’s 1st All-Electric Jet Engine

SiriNor, a deeptech aerospace startup based in India and Norway, has successfully completed the on-ground test of its all-electric jet engine in Pune, marking a key milestone for the future of clean aviation.

The test, which achieved Technology Readiness Level 6 (TRL-6) under NASA’s framework, proved that SiriNor’s proprietary engine can deliver both the performance and scalability needed for commercial use. The engine exceeded its design targets, reaching over 40,000 RPM and delivering 10 kgf of thrust, demonstrating its readiness for commercial development and real-world applications.

SiriNor is addressing a jet engine market projected to exceed USD 100 billion by 2030, at a time when aviation emissions and costs are under growing scrutiny. With a power-agnostic design compatible with both batteries and hydrogen fuel cells, the electric jet engine is built for application across drones, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to regional aircraft and seaplanes, targeting both civilian and defence markets.

Approaching commercialisation in a phased manner, SiriNor will integrate its engine with UAVs, targeting rollout by mid-2026. Building on this foundation, SiriNor will expand to seaplanes and ground-effect vehicles, aiming for certification and market entry in 2027. The final phase focuses on scaling up for regional and civil aircraft, with integration and certification planned for 2030. This staged process allows SiriNor to validate its technology, gain operational experience, and accelerate adoption—starting with drones and scaling to mainstream, zero-emission flight across the aviation sector.

SiriNor has already attracted early-stage investment from Shell E4, DCM Shriram, and several prominent angels, and has secured a valuation exceeding USD 20 million. The company is preparing to raise another USD 5 million in 2025 to accelerate commercialization.

Seven Letters of Intent (LOIs) have been signed with global partners in the UAV, ground-effect vehicle, and small aircraft sectors. SiriNor has also already signed an MoU with Genser Aerospace earlier in 2025 to integrate its electric jet engine into Genser’s Light Business Programme.

“We had the fortune of meeting Abhijeet at a startup conference and were deeply impressed by his passion and commitment to building a sustainable electric jet engine. After hearing Abhijeet’s pitch, it was clear to me that this was serious, homegrown technology being developed right here in India. I truly believe this represents the future of aviation, and I’m proud to be part of this journey,” said Mr. Alok B Shriram, CEO, DCM Shriram Industries Ltd.

By eliminating combustion and the need for exotic materials, the SiriNor engine cuts manufacturing costs by 30% and reduces maintenance by 40%. The flexible engine architecture lowers barriers to adoption, enables easier retrofitting, and is highly relevant for both emerging and established aviation manufacturers.

Ivar Aune, Chairman & CEO, SiriNor, said –

This ground test is not just a technical milestone. It’s a moment of validation for our amazing team and our common vision. I’m incredibly proud of our team, who have dedicated five relentless years to reaching this point. Their hard work, perseverance, and never-say-die attitude made this achievement possible. TRL6 is a result of their hard work and a testament to their belief in our mission.

Abhijeet Inamdar, Co-founder and CEO, SiriNor India, added,

Our engine architecture is designed for flexibility at its core, enabling us to usher in a new era of emission-free, electrified aviation. I’m proud to be part of this transformative journey and to contribute meaningfully to the Make-in-India mission.

This breakthrough aligns with India’s push for sustainable aviation and could disrupt the USD 100 billion jet engine market.

Disclaimer by SiriNor: The electric jet engine highlighted in this news has completed laboratory testing at Technology Readiness Level 6 (TRL6) under controlled conditions. Some figures and projections shared are based on assumptions regarding current market conditions and supply chain constructs. These results are preliminary and subject to further validation through real-world testing and regulatory review.

The World's First Fully-Electric Jet Engine(s) 

SiriNor claims its jet engine is the world’s first all-electric jet engine, However, verifying whether it is truly the first requires comparing it to other electric propulsion systems developed globally.

While electric aircraft propulsion has been explored before—such as NASA’s X-57 Maxwell and Rolls-Royce’s Spirit of Innovation —these systems primarily use electric propellers rather than a true jet engine. SiriNor’s design appears to be distinct in that it mimics traditional jet propulsion while being fully electric.

SiriNor's engine uses true jet propulsion, whereas electric aircraft like NASA's X-57 Maxwell and Rolls-Royce's Spirit of Innovation rely on electric propellers.

If Power Source is considered, SiriNor's design is power-agnostic, meaning it can run on battery systems or hydrogen fuel cells, making it more adaptable.

SiriNor's engine achieved 40,000 RPM and 10 kgf thrust, proving its feasibility for UAVs, seaplanes, and regional aircraft.

For the scalability, the young Indian startup company plans to scale up to regional aircraft by 2030, whereas most electric propulsion systems today are limited to small planes and drones.

About SiriNor

Operating between Norway and India, SiriNor has pioneered a tip-driven propulsion system using distributed edge-mounted motors instead of a central hub that results in significantly lower operating temperatures, simplified manufacturing resulting into at least 30% lower costs. SiriNor aims to license its technology and partner with established global suppliers for contract manufacturing. The engine is power-agnostic and compatible with both electric battery packs and hydrogen fuel cells, enabling adaptable deployment across aviation's evolving energy landscape.

SiriNor will now advance to TRL 7 testing of its 40cm x50 cm prototype, with plans to commercialise the UAV engine by mid-2026 with the goal of scaling toward commercial aviation platforms by 2030. The company’s staged approach from UAVs to regional aircraft positions it as a pragmatic, innovation-driven player in the race to decarbonise the aviation sector.

SiriNor has already raised early-stage funding, crossing USD 20 million valuation following its successful TRL-6 test, with plans to raise another USD 5 million in Q2 of 2025.

The Founders

Ivar Aune

Based in Stavanger, Norway Ivar Aune is the CEO and Chairman of SiriNor. With over 20 years of leadership experience in venture capital, energy technology, and engineering, Ivar leads SiriNor’s global strategy and product roadmap.

At SiriNor, Ivar drives the company’s mission to develop power-agnostic electric jet engines, scaling from UAV to aircraft. His leadership bridges Norway’s deep engineering tradition with India’s emerging aerospace ecosystem, positioning SiriNor at the forefront of clean aviation. Prior to SiriNor, Ivar served as Investment Director at Equinor Ventures, where he was involved in 30 transactions including investments in hydrogen and fusion energy companies as well as several successful exits.

He has served on the boards of over a dozen startups in energy transition, drilling technology, and industrial automation. Ivar holds an MSc in Petroleum Engineering from NTNU and has formal training in project management from OsloMet. His career spans roles at Statoil, Norsk Hydro, and global advisory boards, giving him cross-functional expertise in engineering, finance, and scaling deeptech ventures.

Abhijeet Inamdar

Abhijeet Inamdar is the co-founder and India CEO of SiriNor, a Norwegian-Indian aerospace startup developing the world’s first scalable electric jet engine. With more than 20 years of global experience across energy, aviation, and deeptech, he brings a unique blend of technical expertise and commercial leadership to the clean aviation sector.

At SiriNor, Abhijeet along with Ivar, leads strategy, team building, fundraising, and partnerships, driving the company’s mission to build zero-emission, power-agnostic jet engines for UAVs, seaplanes, and regional aircraft. His work focuses on aligning advanced propulsion technologies with the future needs of sustainable aviation.

Prior to SiriNor, Abhijeet served as an investment manager at Equinor, where he led strategic technology investments in areas such as emissions monitoring, artificial intelligence, hydrogen, and mobility. During his time there, he held board positions in several high-growth startups, including SeekOps, Reveal Energy Services, and Ambyint, and also advised Advanced Aircraft Company, a US-based hybrid drone startup.

Abhijeet holds a master’s degree in petroleum engineering from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. He was featured in Hart Energy Journal’s 40 Under 40 Investors in North America in 2019, and in 2022, was recognized by Passion Vista Journal as one of the Most Admired Global Indians.

Odisha & Kolkata Scientists Win $3M Breakthrough Prize, by CERN, Dubbed as 'Oscars of Science'

Eight scientists from leading research institutions in Odisha—NISER, IIT Bhubaneswar, the Institute of Physics, and IISER Berhampur—have been honored with the 2025 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics, awarded by CERN.

Additionally, five scientists from Kolkata’s Bose Institute have also been recognized for their contributions to the ALICE experiment at CERN.

The Breakthrough Prize is one of the most prestigious awards in science, often called the "Oscars of Science". It recognizes groundbreaking discoveries in Fundamental Physics, Life Sciences, and Mathematics, celebrating researchers who push the boundaries of human knowledge.

The $3 million prize recognizes the contributions of thousands of researchers from over 70 countries who worked on four major experimental collaborations at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC) —ATLAS, CMS, ALICE, and LHCb.

Among the awardees from Odisha are Bedangadas Mohanty, Ranbir Singh, Sanjay Swain, Prolay Mal (NISER Bhubaneswar), Seema Bahinipati (IIT Bhubaneswar), Aruna Kumar Nayak, Pradip Kumar Sahu (Institute of Physics, Bhubaneswar), and Natasha Sharma (IISER Berhampur).

The Stars of Science at the 2025 Breakthrough Prize Ceremony

The prize acknowledges groundbreaking research in particle physics, including studies on the Higgs boson, matter-antimatter asymmetry, and rare particle interactions. The award money will be used to support doctoral students, allowing them to conduct research at CERN and bring back expertise to their home institutions.

This recognition highlights India’s growing role in high-energy physics and inspires young scientists to pursue careers in fundamental research.

 

CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, which is directly connected to the Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics award, recognizes groundbreaking research conducted at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC).

CERN is the world’s largest particle physics laboratory, and its experiments push the boundaries of fundamental physics, making it a key player in scientific advancements. These experiments have contributed to major discoveries, including studies on the Higgs boson, matter-antimatter asymmetry, and rare particle interactions.

Scientists from Odisha and Kolkata were part of these collaborations, earning recognition for their contributions.

The 2025 Breakthrough Prize was awarded to thousands of researchers involved in four major Large Hadron Collider (LHC) experiments—ATLAS, CMS, ALICE, and LHCb.

The Breakthrough Prize is awarded by the Breakthrough Prize Foundation, which was founded by Sergey Brin, Priscilla Chan & Mark Zuckerberg, Yuri & Julia Milner, and Anne Wojcicki.

The winners are selected by committees of previous laureates, and the awards are funded by the personal foundations of the founders. The prize recognizes outstanding contributions in Fundamental Physics, Life Sciences, and Mathematics.

Planck Secures $500K to Fuel Edge Data Centre Expansion in India

Planck, an innovative digital infrastructure startup focused on next-generation data centre solutions, has successfully raised $500K in its ongoing pre-Seed funding round, at a valuation of INR 30 crore. The round is led by Saarthee Actionable Insights, a US-based analytics firm, which will also bring strategic collaboration to accelerate Planck’s go-to-market and sales outreach efforts.

The funding will be used to expand its market outreach and set up its first fully sustainable modular edge data centres in India. Planck is a B2B startup specialising in monetising various Edge focused use cases and designs the infrastructure to suit the needs of the customer. Planck offers these data centres on BOOT, Lease, and Lease-to-own models to customers globally. These EDCs are capable of supporting cutting-edge AI & Analytics tools, designed to support data-sensitive industries such as Automation & Logistics, DR & Data Warehousing, Streaming, eSports and telecom.

Planck’s Make-in-India modular data centre range 'Quanta' is crafted to meet global standards and engineered with an emphasis on sustainability, making them a game changer for businesses focused on scalability and eco-friendly practices.

“We truly believe, Quanta will be able to help corporations reach their Net-Zero goals faster, despite our being in the energy guzzling industry. We are thrilled to have Saarthee on board in this journey,” says Shishir Miglani, Co-Founder and CEO of Planck. “This investment is not only a major vote of confidence in our vision but also a step toward transforming the analytics space. With Saarthee’s expertise and our innovative products, we are positioned to lead the next wave of data-driven decision-making.”

Saarthee Actionable Insights, one of the fastest-growing data science firms in the US, sees Planck’s unique approach to intelligent analytics as both timely and impactful. A representative from Saarthee commented, “We are excited to back Planck at this early stage. Their technology has the potential to redefine how industries handle data, and we look forward to supporting their growth journey. Now your data is as safe and fully under your control in a tier 3 compliant EDC.”

Planck is on track to disrupt the data centre ecosystem by delivering scalable, modular solutions that cater to the needs of industries requiring high-performance, secure, and eco-conscious infrastructure. Their flagship product, Quanta, will bring an army-grade standard of reliability to edge networks, setting a new benchmark for data storage, disaster recovery and live streaming solutions.

AIIMS Jammu and 4baseCare Launches Centre for Advanced Genomics & Precision Medicine

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Jammu has officially initiated laboratory operations with the illumina NextSeq 2000 sequencing machine, at its newly established Centre for Advanced Genomics & Precision Medicine — marking a transformative step toward making affordable, precision-driven cancer care accessible to patients across India.

Inaugurating the state-of-the-art facility were key dignitaries, including Prof. (Dr) Shakti Kumar Gupta, Executive Director and CEO of AIIMS Jammu; Lt Gen Dr Sunil Kant, Dean Research and Medical Superintendent; Prof. Dr Meeta Gupta, Dean (Academics); Prof. Dr Shabab L Angurana, Associate Dean (Research); Mr. Shailender Slathia, Registrar; Dr. Poonam Sharma, Head, Department of Pathology; and Dr. Sudharshan, Vice President – Global Operations at 4baseCare.

Prof (Dr) Shakti Kumar Gupta, Executive Director and CEO, AIIMS Jammu, stated, “For every patient we treat, we are treating a mother, a father, a sister, or a brother. This partnership is our promise to every family who walks through our doors that we will do everything in our power to bring them the care they deserve.”

The Centre, developed in collaboration with 4baseCare, is equipped with advanced Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technology, offering comprehensive genomic profiling for cancer patients. This powerful capability enables clinicians to design highly personalized, targeted treatment plans tailored to each patient’s unique molecular profile.

“By integrating cutting-edge genomic data with AI-powered diagnostics, the Centre is poised to significantly improve early disease detection, refine therapy choices, and minimize ineffective treatments — ultimately enhancing both patient outcomes and quality of life,” said Dr. Sudharshan Elangovan , Vice President – Global Operations at 4baseCare.

Traditionally, access to such advanced genomic testing has been prohibitively expensive for many patients. However, with this initiative, high-quality NGS-based tests will now be made available at affordable costs, paving the way for greater inclusivity in precision oncology across India.

Further solidifying its role as a national referral hub, the Centre will accept samples from patients and healthcare providers across the country, ensuring that cutting-edge molecular diagnostics are accessible, regardless of geographical barriers.

For more details, visit, https://4basecare.com/

Bain Capital Secures $136 Mn Loan to Finance Its Minority Stake in Dhoot Transmission

Bain Capital has secured a $136 million loan to finance its acquisition of a minority stake in Dhoot Transmission Group, an Indian automotive parts manufacturer reported Business Standard. The loan is structured as a five-year facility, split into a $111 million term loan and a $25 million revolving credit facility.

DBS Group Holdings and HSBC Holdings, are managing the deal. The borrowing is being syndicated to a limited number of lenders.

Bain Capital aims to leverage its global automotive expertise to support Dhoot Transmission's growth and expansion.

Dhoot Transmission, founded in 1999 by Rahul Dhoot, specializes in electronic sensors, controllers, power cords, and automotive cables. Bain Capital's investment aligns with its broader strategy of expanding its presence in India's auto components sector.

This move could be particularly interesting to India’s precision manufacturing sector as it strengthens India’s position as a global hub for automotive electronics and wiring harnesses, and encourages foreign investments in precision manufacturing.

Dhoot Transmission’s role in automotive electronics might have implications for EV supply chains and advanced manufacturing.

Dhoot Transmission’s expertise in electronic sensors and controllers could support EV manufacturers. Bain’s backing may help scale production for electric vehicle components.

Dhoot Transmission is headquartered in Aurangabad, Maharashtra and operates 23 manufacturing facilities across India, UK, Slovakia, Thailand, Japan, and South Korea. In Acquired TFC Cables (Scotland), Parkinson Harness (UK), and San Electromec (India) to expand its footprint.