Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) Selects Three Startups for Technology Adoption Fund (TAF) Support

Key facts

• The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) has selected three startups for the first round of funding under the Technology Adoption Fund (TAF) scheme.
• The selected companies are Astrobase Space Technologies (Bengaluru), SatSure Analytics India (Bengaluru), and TM2SPACE Technologies (Hyderabad).
• Astrobase Space Technologies will develop an 800 kN-class reusable liquid oxygen-liquid natural gas (LOX-LNG) closed-cycle rocket engine for medium- and heavy-lift launch vehicles.
• SatSure Analytics India will build Dhaarini, an artificial intelligence platform for analysing satellite and aerial imagery to provide insights for agriculture, infrastructure planning, and disaster management.
• TM2SPACE Technologies will develop AI-powered star trackers, including StarSense Lite for CubeSats and StarSense Pro for satellites weighing more than 50 kg.
• The TAF scheme has a total funding of ₹500 crore, with a maximum funding cap of ₹25 crore per project.
• Under TAF, funding is provided up to 60% of the project cost for startups/Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and 40% for large industries.
• The evaluation process involved experts from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Department of Science and Technology (DST), industry bodies, academic institutions, and IN-SPACe.