Welkinrim, a deep-tech startup specialising in advanced drone propulsion subsystems, has raised ₹4.76 crore in its latest funding round. The investment includes ₹2.35 crore from GSF, ₹1.5 crore from Campus Angels Network and additional contributions from AC Ventures (₹0.5 crore) and Forge Innovation and Ventures (₹0.4 crore).
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. The motors and ESCs are engineered for OEM customers in the UAV sector, including manufacturers of drones for defence, surveillance, agriculture, and logistics.
The startup will utilise the funds to expand in-house manufacturing capabilities for high-performance drone motors and ESCs and product validation with Indian drone OEMs across defence and commercial segments. Funds will also be used to strengthen the core engineering team and invest in advanced testing infrastructure. Welkinrim is targeting partnerships with drone makers in India and abroad.
“This investment will help us take our propulsion subsystems from lab to market, while continuing to focus on performance, efficiency, and safety,” said Dinesh Natarajan, Founder and CEO of Welkinrim.
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.”
Nirmal Shah, partner at GSF, said, “Welkinrim’s 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.”
Published – September 26, 2025 01:57 am IST
