Finvolve & IA Back Vikra Ocean Tech with $1M to Build India’s First Indigenous Ocean Robotics Stack

Finvolve, a multi-stage venture capital fund, has announced a seed investment of $1 million in Vikra Ocean Tech, a Chennai-based deeptech startup developing India’s first fully indigenous ocean robotics stack for underwater and surface operations. The investment, led by Finvolve along with India Accelerator, will be utilized to scale product manufacturing, strengthen the company’s sales pipeline across defence and public sector undertakings (PSUs), and establish recurring revenue streams through service contracts and annual maintenance agreements.

Founded in 2019, Vikra Ocean Tech is developing an indigenous, modular ocean robotics ecosystem that includes deep-water ROVs, autonomous surface vessels, amphibious crawling robots, and AI-enabled imaging and communication systems. Built for interoperability through a unified control platform, its solutions address India’s dependence on imported underwater robotics by offering cost-effective, mission-ready systems tailored for defence, subsea inspection, hydrographic surveys, and disaster response. Its integrated hardware stack is supported by indigenous cameras, lighting, diver communication systems, and AI-based video enhancement tools for simplified and scalable operations.

VIKRA has gained strong early traction across both defence and commercial sectors, including securing two iDEX grants from the Indian Army and the Indian Coast Guard, along with several other prestigious innovation awards. The company has developed India’s first 2000-meter depth-rated deep-ocean camera and lighting systems. Its Autonomous Surface Vehicle (ASV) systems are also seeing wide adoption for offshore marine exploration applications.

The investment comes at a time when global and domestic tailwinds are accelerating the adoption of subsea robotics. With increasing maritime security concerns, rising climate-related disasters, and a strong policy push towards indigenous innovation, the demand for reliable, locally built ocean-tech solutions is growing rapidly. The global subsea robotics market is projected to expand significantly by 2030, while India’s domestic opportunity across inspection, monitoring, and blue economy applications continues to scale, creating a strong foundation for companies like Vikra to emerge as category leaders.

Commenting on the investment, Ashish Bhatia, Co-Founder of Finvolve and Founder & CEO of India Accelerator said –

Subsea robotics is fast becoming a strategic priority for India across defence, infrastructure, and disaster response. Vikra Ocean Tech is addressing this need with a fully indigenous, integrated robotics stack that combines deep-tech innovation with strong on-ground validation. Their ability to build and deploy scalable, high-performance systems positions them well to lead this space from India. 

Rajagurunathan, Co-Founder, Vikra Ocean Tech, added,

Our vision is to build a globally competitive ocean robotics ecosystem from India. This investment enables us to accelerate product development, scale deployments, and deepen our engagement with defence and industrial stakeholders. We aim to significantly reduce India’s dependence on imported systems while delivering robust, cost-effective solutions built for real-world conditions.

Rajeuv, Co-Founder, further added, “This investment will strengthen our R&D capabilities, scale manufacturing, and accelerate deployments across defence, offshore energy, research, and marine infrastructure sectors. We are committed to building reliable, world-class technologies that position India as a leader in ocean innovation.”

With a vertically integrated product stack, growing commercial traction, and strong alignment with India’s strategic priorities, Vikra Ocean Tech is well positioned to scale its operations and play a defining role in shaping the country’s subsea robotics and ocean-tech landscape.

About Finvolve

Finvolve is a multi-thesis growth and late-stage venture capital fund supporting startups across their growth journey from pre-seed to pre-IPO. The fund partners with founders to provide growth capital, strategic guidance, and long-term support, helping companies scale sustainably and build enduring businesses. With investments across high-growth sectors, Finvolve focuses on backing teams that combine strong execution with clear market opportunity.

About India Accelerator

India Accelerator (IA) is India’s leading seed-stage startup accelerator and the recipient of the “Best Accelerator of the Country” award from Startup India (2022). Alongside its accelerator programs, IA actively invests in early-stage startups through Finvolve, three AIFs, and a GIFT City Fund. IA provides founders with capital, mentorship, and market access, enabling scalable and sustainable growth.

iHub Robotics Set to Establish India’s Largest Humanoid Robotics Manufacturing Facility As It Raises ₹4.3 Crore in Funding

• iHub Robotics Raises ₹4.3 Crore in Pre-Seed Funding
• With this fresh capital, the company is set to establish India’s largest humanoid robotics manufacturing facility in Kerala.
• The company also expects to create over 150 jobs in the next 2 years, contributing to India’s deep-tech ecosystem.
• The company has launched iHub School of Learning, a platform dedicated to educating and training students in AI & robotics with a mission to empower 100,000 students with future-ready skills in deep-tech.

iHub Robotics, India’s pioneering humanoid robotics startup, has successfully raised ₹4.3 crore ($520K) in pre-seed funding from U.S. investors. With this fresh capital, the company is set to establish India’s largest humanoid robotics manufacturing facility in Kerala, reinforcing its vision to make India a global leader in robotics and AI-driven automation. The company also expects to create over 150 jobs in the next two years, contributing to India’s deep-tech ecosystem.

iHub Robotics has already made a significant international impact, exporting its semi-humanoid robot, Tara Gen-1, to the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Tara Gen-1 is the most advanced semi-humanoid robot in India, built with cutting-edge AI and robotics technology. It is designed to operate in hospitality, healthcare, airports, railway stations, and various customer service roles, enhancing efficiency and automation in these Industries.

What sets Tara Gen-1 apart is its advanced human behavior intelligence, allowing it to:

• Recognize and respond to human emotions
• Engage in natural conversations using AI-powered speech recognition
• Adapt to different environments with real-time decision-making
• Assist customers with navigation, inquiries and personalized service
• Function seamlessly in multi-language settings

Additionally, in January 2025, iHub Robotics became India’s first company to be officially recognized by NVIDIA and was selected for the NVIDIA Humanoid Robotics Program. This milestone validates the company’s cutting-edge work in robotics and AI, granting it access to NVIDIA’s advanced technologies, research collaborations, and global networking opportunities.

Beyond humanoid robotics, iHub Robotics is also committed to empowering the next generation of AI and robotics innovators. The company has launched iHub School of Learning, a platform dedicated to educating and training students in AI and robotics with a mission to empower 100,000 students with future-ready skills in deep-tech.

Sarath S, ATHIL Krishna, Akhil k Haridasan

“This funding is a significant step toward realizing our dream of Physical AI, where intelligent robots seamlessly integrate into industries to enhance human capabilities. By setting up India’s biggest humanoid robotics manufacturing facility, we are not just building robots, we are shaping the future of AI-driven automation globally. Additionally, with our expansion, we aim to generate over 150 new jobs in the next two years, driving India’s deep-tech revolution forward,” said Athil Krishna, CEO of iHub Robotics.