Aum Ventures announces second edition of India DeepSpark, invites applications from deeptech startup founders

Aum Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm focussed on technology-led and deeptech companies and an early backer of Skyroot Aerospace, has launched the second edition of India DeepSpark, its initiative to discover and back India’s next generation of deeptech founders.

The founders building breakthrough technologies across spacetech, semiconductors, defencetech, artificial intelligence, robotics, quantum, new energy, advanced manufacturing and other frontier technology sectors can apply to be part of  DeepSpark 2.0 .

Applications for India DeepSpark 2.0 are open until September 15, 2026.

Selected startups will have the opportunity to receive up to $1 million in investment, along with strategic and financial mentorship, investor-readiness support and access to Aum Ventures’ global network across the US, Israel and the Middle East. The programme will also host a DeepSpark Roadshow featuring 1:1 founder office hours, investor-readiness sessions and interactions with sector experts.

The first edition of DeepSpark had received more than 500 applications, engaged closely with over 20 startups, partnered with over 30 incubators and innovation hubs, and invested $625,000 through the programme.

One of the companies to emerge from the initiative was Sanyark Space, which is building space navigation and communications technology. Aum Ventures has also backed deeptech companies including Skyroot Aerospace, Azimuth AI, Cosmoserve and Sharang Shakti.

“India has extraordinary scientific and engineering talent, and many of the country’s most ambitious technologies are being built well before they become commercially visible,” said Chetan Mehta, Founding Partner, Aum Ventures. “DeepSpark is about finding these founders early, providing the conviction and capital they need, and helping them build companies that can compete globally.”

“Deeptech requires a different approach to venture investing, one that is willing to underwrite technology risk, support longer development cycles and back founders before the market is fully validated,” added Nisha Shah, Partner at Aum Ventures. “We want DeepSpark to become a platform for identifying and supporting the technologies that will define India’s next chapter of innovation.”

Aum Ventures backs ambitious Indian entrepreneurs building technology-led companies with global potential. Its investment focus spans space-tech, semiconductors, defence-tech, AI, robotics, advanced manufacturing, energy transition and other deep-tech sectors. INDIA Deepspark is Aum Ventures’ flagship initiative designed to accelerate early-stage, IP-led deep tech companies taking breakthrough technologies from research to market.