Sanlayan Technologies Raises ₹186 Crore in Series A to Expand Defence R&D and Talent Pool
Sanlayan Technologies, a Bengaluru-based defence electronics startup, has raised ₹186 crore ($22 million) in a Series A funding round aimed at significantly expanding its R&D capabilities and workforce. The round was led by prominent investors Ashish Kacholia, Lashit Sanghvi, and Jungle Ventures, with additional participation from Gemba Capital, Singularity Ventures, and new backer Shastra VC.
Founded by ex-Zetwerk employees Abhijit Kothawale, Rohan Gala, and Rahul Vamsidhar, Sanlayan specializes in the design and development of mission-critical defence electronics such as radar systems, electronic warfare (EW), and avionics. The startup had previously raised $4.4 million in seed funding in March 2023.
Major Expansion and Hiring Plans
With the new capital, Sanlayan aims to increase its engineering workforce fivefold over the next six months. The company is aggressively hiring domain experts, R&D scientists, retired defence personnel, and senior leaders from both public and private defence sectors.
“We are allocating funds towards both organic growth and acquisitions,” said Rohan Gala, co-founder and CEO. “This includes the in-house development of critical CUAS (Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems) and EW technologies.”
Strengthening Through Acquisition
As part of its expansion strategy, Sanlayan recently acquired a controlling stake in Dexcel Electronics, a Bengaluru-based embedded systems firm with over two decades of defence experience. Dexcel has contributed to flagship defence and space programs such as Jaguar, Sukhoi, LCA Tejas, and ISRO’s Chandrayaan-3.
This acquisition bolsters Sanlayan’s manufacturing and design capabilities as it prepares to deliver large-scale indigenisation and upgrade programs for India’s strategic forces.
Focus on Cutting-Edge Indigenous Tech
Leveraging its strengthened R&D ecosystem, Sanlayan is also developing an advanced AESA radar system for India’s unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) program. The startup aims to play a central role in India’s push for self-reliant defence technology through innovation and collaboration.
The Series A funding positions Sanlayan as a rising force in India’s growing defence-tech sector, aligning with national goals for defence indigenisation and technological sovereignty.
