IIT Bombay batchmates launch Kokasa to build defence, aerospace and autonomous systems

Former leaders from Epigamia, Housing.com and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) have launched Kokasa, a deep-tech startup focused on building critical systems and autonomous technologies for defence, aerospace, space and other high-performance platforms. The company aims to strengthen India’s domestic technology and supply capabilities.

Kokasa is building Collaborative Autonomous Systems, where multiple autonomous and semi-autonomous platforms, sensors and effectors can operate through a common software architecture to achieve a shared mission objective. The company is developing this capability from the physical-system engineering layer, with software designed to work across platforms.

The company currently designs and develops mission-critical electromechanical and electrohydraulic systems covering actuation, motion control, sensing, instrumentation and embedded control. It is also developing autonomy and mission-system capabilities across perception, sensor fusion, decision-making, guidance and control, and real-time multi-system coordination.

Kokasa to execute indigenisation programmes across major Su-30MKI, MiG-29 and T-72

Commenting on the launch, Rahul Jain, Co-Founder at Kokasa, said, "Our vision is to build advanced technologies in India for sectors that are critical to the country's future. India today has the engineering talent, manufacturing capability and policy momentum needed to build globally competitive systems locally. Kokasa aims to contribute to the next phase of India's deep-tech capability."

Kokasa is already executing indigenisation programmes across major defence platforms, including the Su-30MKI, MiG-29 and T-72, where reliability, performance and supply assurance are mission-critical.

Speaking about Kokasa's long-term vision, Snehil Gautam, Co-Founder, Kokasa, said, "Building mission-critical systems requires deep understanding and ownership of the technology layers within them. That is why we are building capabilities from the physical layer upward, alongside a modular software architecture that can work across systems and platforms. It is exciting to see experienced scientists, researchers and engineers joining us to solve these complex problems."

Vikalp Bagdi, Co-Founder, Kokasa, who has formerly worked with HAL and Textron, said, "In mission-critical engineering, getting a prototype to work is only the beginning. The real challenge is making a system perform consistently across demanding environments, qualifying it rigorously and supporting it reliably through its lifecycle. That engineering discipline is what we are building into Kokasa from day one."

Kokasa said the next opportunity for India lies in building critical systems, autonomy and system-level intellectual property that sit within and across defence, aerospace and other high-performance platforms. Its stated ambition is to build critical systems and autonomous technologies in India for domestic and global markets.