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Sarla Aviation co-founders Shivam Chauhan, Rakesh Gaonkar, and Adrian Schmidt (left to right).Image Credits:Sarla Aviation
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Sarla Aviationlaunched one twelvemonth ago with a pitch build for India ’s engorged streets . The electric air taxi inauguration , named after India ’s first adult female pilot , Sarla Thukral , would focalise on aircraft that can run more weightiness — even if that means forgetful ranges .
“ In India , a short range is fine , as long as you’re able to put up it at an attractive price point . And that ’s what we ’re trying to achieve with this higher warhead , ” said Adrian Schmidt , co - founder and CEO of Sarla Aviation , in an consultation .
It ’s a sales pitch that has landed with investor . The inauguration said Tuesday it raised $ 10 million in a sassy funding round led by Accel . The all - equity Series A1 daily round included holy person investors such as Binny Bansal ( Flipkart co - laminitis ) , Nikhil Kamath ( Zerodha co - beginner ) , and Sriharsha Majety ( Swiggy carbon monoxide - laminitis ) . The startup previously parent a seed round of around $ 1.7 million lead by Accel and let in participation from angels , let in Tata Motors CTO Rajendra Petkar .
Sarla Aviation plans to utilise the funds to build up an R&D center in Bengaluru , descale its team three or four time greater than its current head count of 30 , and create new paradigm to get just data and corroborate it .
Unlike most wing taxi concepts that have two- to four - passenger capacitance , the Bengaluru - based startup is look at a fomite carrying six passengers and a pilot weighing up to 680 kg ( 1,500 pounds ) . Increasing the shipment reduces the range to 160 kilometers ( 99 air mile ) per battery electric charge . In direct contrast , a typical flying taxicab concept offers a range between 120 and 160 naut mi .
Schmidt , a German citizen , co - founded Sarla Aviation in January 2024 with longtime colleague Rakesh Gaonkar and software system engineer Shivam Chauhan after spending over a couple of years at Lilium . The Munich - based outfit was build regional electric vertical takeoff and landing place ( eVTOL ) aircraft for over a ten but after raising more than $ 1 billion and going public , itshut down its mathematical operation last yearonly to beresurrectedsoon after by a consortium of investor . Schmidt also initially worked at automobile companies , include Mercedes - Benz and Volkswagen before joining Lilium in 2020 .
In the center of 2023 , Schmidt and Gaonkar left Germany and come to Bengaluru to set up Sarla Aviation after seeing India as a potential market for their flying taxi venture . Chauhan , who was back in India after spending clock time in the U.S. , get together them , and the tierce incorporate the inauguration in January 2024 .
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Schmidt state TechCrunch that India ’s geopolitical position , which he believes would “ bet a major role in how exponent kinetics shift , ” convinced him to start his venture in the country .
The 1 - twelvemonth - honest-to-god inauguration is sic to showcase its first melody taxi prototype , hollo Shunya ( zero in Hindi ) , at an manufacture event in New Delhi on January 17 . The company will start testing image later this year and plans to set in motion its first commercial-grade air taxi sometime in 2028 .
Schmidt enjoin Sarla Aviation will start its commercial-grade surgery for airport transfers in Bengaluru , one of the world ’s most congested city , and step by step swan into Mumbai , Delhi , and Pune . It also plans to launch a destitute airwave ambulance service parallel to commercial-grade ride - sharing service of process in its first phase .
Sarla Aviation ’s air cab ticket would be price likewise to the top line of an Uber or Ola cab , which will come down to the fare Native American rider typically yield for an auto - rickshaw over fourth dimension , the administrator claim .
The inauguration relies on a third - party supply Sir Ernst Boris Chain for produce its prototypes . Schmidt , however , enjoin TechCrunch it aimed to have 80 % of its provision chain fully indigenous around the time of starting commercial-grade surgery .
Sarla Aviation will vie with well - fundedArcher Aviation , which partner with InterGlobe Enterprises in 2023 , andePlane , which elicit $ 14 million in November at a $ 46 million valuation . Both direct to launch fly taxis in India next year .
