Chennai, India – September 25, 2025 – Welkinrim, a deep-tech startup specializing in advanced drone propulsion subsystems, has raised ₹4.76 crore in its latest funding round. The investment includes ₹2.35 crore from GSF, ₹1.50 crore from Campus Angels Network, and additional contributions from AC Ventures (₹0.5 crore) and Forge Innovation & Ventures (₹0.4 crore). The funds will be used to strengthen R&D, enhance manufacturing capacity, and deepen customer partnerships.
Welkinrim, incubated at the IIT Madras Incubation Cell, focuses on the development of next-generation motors and electronic speed controllers (ESCs)—two critical components within a drone’s electric propulsion system. Its high-thrust-density motors and intelligent ESCs are engineered for OEM customers in the UAV sector, including manufacturers of drones for defense, surveillance, agriculture, and logistics.
Leadership Insights
Nirmal Shah, Partner at GSF, said:
“We are excited to back Welkinrim at this stage of their growth journey. Their products address a critical gap in the Indian UAV supply chain and have strong global potential. This funding will help them move from prototyping to scaled deployments.”
K Chandran, Managing Director of Campus Angels Network, added:
“Welkinrim’s innovation lies in building precision propulsion subsystems that are engineered for performance, reliability, and scale. As drone adoption accelerates across sectors, we believe Welkinrim is well-positioned to become the go-to OEM for propulsion solutions.”
Dinesh Natarajan, Founder & CEO of Welkinrim, said:
“We are grateful for the trust placed in us by GSF, Campus Angels Network, and other investors. This investment will help us take our propulsion subsystems from lab to market, while continuing to focus on performance, efficiency, and safety.”
Fueling Product & Market Expansion
Welkinrim will utilize the funding to:
- Expand in-house manufacturing capabilities for high-performance drone motors and ESCs
- Accelerate product validation with Indian drone OEMs across defense and commercial segments
- Strengthen the core engineering team and invest in advanced testing infrastructure
- Build IP assets around their proprietary control algorithms and designs
The company is targeting partnerships with leading drone makers in India and abroad and is actively contributing to strengthening India’s deep-tech and UAV manufacturing ecosystem.