Pradyumna Murhar

Investment professional

[Swarajya @SwarajyaMag]

Swarajya's indiaBUILD tracks India's hard-technology gaps using three connected layers:

-capability - the specific technology chokepoint (e.g. 3D-printed rocket engines, fabless chip design, Li-ion cell manufacturing)
-builder - the company, lab or programme actually attempting it
-policy - the government scheme or instrument enabling or meant to enable the above two

A scheme on its own is just an allocation. What matters is whether it converts into real capabilities being built, by real builders, that can be verified.

Here's how that plays out for the RDI Scheme
-₹1,00,000 crore of government capital
-meant to fund deep-tech work that has a long national horizon rather than near-term commercial returns.
-Which capabilities is it actually funding, what are they for, and who is building them?

We mapped the verified footprint
-21 capabilities, across 9 sectors
-tied to named builders with committed investment:

Space systems
- Agnikul Cosmos - 3D-printed rocket engines, Rs 200cr
- Dhruva Space - 500kg-class modular satellite bus, Rs 105cr
- GalaxEye - earth observation satellite bus and drone-mounted SAR sensing, Rs 64cr

Semiconductors and networking
- BigEndian Semiconductors - fabless chip design and tape-out, Rs 130cr
- Tejas Networks - Direct-to-Mobile SDR chips and 4G/5G RAN equipment, Rs 250cr
- Multi Nano Sense - CMOS-MEMS multi-gas sensor platform, Rs 38cr

Power and energy
- Ather Energy / e-TRNL / REPLUS - advanced Li-ion battery cell design and manufacturing, ~Rs 349cr combined
- Ather Energy - EV charging network infrastructure, Rs 212cr
- NeoSeeker Metals - critical mineral refining, Rs 10cr

Cross-sector
- ePlane Company - eVTOL air taxis and cargo/logistics UAVs, Rs 285cr
- EndureAir - AI autopilot and cooperative drone control, Rs 30cr
- Peptris - AI/ML-driven drug discovery, Rs 86cr
- Endimension - AI-powered chest X-ray detection and radiology workflow, Rs 3cr

This is the pattern @indiaBUILDwiki is built to surface for every scheme, capability and builder.

See: https://t.co/ayUnuJ58gw

[Pradyumna Murhar @prad_evolution]

Indian corporates/HNIs shud be the primary anchor investors in Indian deep tech, supporting longer gestation cycle of innovation, bankrolling it through equity. Indian innovation will reduce dependence on western fiat-led funding, which will continue focus on efficiency startups

[Aditya Kondawar @aditya_kondawar]

Solar Industries invested ₹17.5 crore in Skyroot as part of an early funding round (announced in late 2019)

In May 2021, Solar Industries also participated in Skyroot's Series A funding round alongside Greenko promoters and other investors.

Today the stake is worth ~Rs 1000 cr!

Beyond being an investor, Solar Industries became a strategic partner, supplying solid rocket propulsion systems and supporting static testing. Skyroot's successful Vikram-1 mission further highlighted this partnership

I love it when bigger companies help startups with Capital and know-how!

Competition is good, but Collaboration is key!

no reco!

[Skyroot Aerospace @SkyrootA]

Hello space, we have arrived! Vikram-1's Test Flight-1 has completed it's mission.

The first ever Indian private sector launch has been successfully completed.

#Vikram1 #MissionAagaman #OpeningSpaceForAll

[Skyroot Aerospace @SkyrootA]

ORBIT ACHIEVED. 🚀

Vikram-1 Test Flight-1 has reached orbit. India's first privately developed orbital rocket has completed its final burn and injected its payloads into a ~450 km orbit, making India the third country in the world with private orbital launch capability.

History is made. 🇮🇳

#Vikram1 #JourneyToOrbit #SkyrootAerospace

[Skyroot Aerospace @SkyrootA]

LIFT-OFF! 🚀 Vikram-1 has left the pad at Sriharikota. India's first privately developed orbital rocket is flying. History is being made. 🇮🇳
#Vikram1 #JourneyToOrbit #SkyrootAerospace

[Balaji @balajis]

India is building startup cities.

[Pradyumna Murhar @prad_evolution]

Amazing!

[Pradyumna Murhar @prad_evolution]

The chart I am most interested in for the next decade!

[Pradyumna Murhar @prad_evolution]

@90s_kidSSCI @Dev_Fadnavis @CMOMaharashtra @nitin_gadkari @Devendra_Office @OfficeOfNG 4 taxiway intersections on the second runway, with 2 of them being mid-way and 2 being at the 2 ends. To suggest only the ones at the end would be used, is a stretch. DGCA will also take a close look at OLS from Jaitala for second runway, it's tight when alternative exists.

[Pradyumna Murhar @prad_evolution]

@Dev_Fadnavis @CMOMaharashtra @nitin_gadkari
The new plan is very different from original, in that the positions of second runway and new terminal are interchanged. In new plan, second runway is less than 500m from existing runway (1.6km as per old plan)...

[Sahil @scarly_36]

.GMR unveils fresh renderings of the Nagpur Airport expansion project! ✈️
• New runway connecting Parella to the existing airport
• New cargo terminal
• New passenger terminal
A major boost for aviation and regional connectivity. #Nagpur #Maharashtra

[Pradyumna Murhar @prad_evolution]

@90s_kidSSCI @Dev_Fadnavis @CMOMaharashtra @nitin_gadkari @Devendra_Office @OfficeOfNG This is a legit argument, but are we strategically altering a 30-50yr masterplan for a 2 year constraint? The advantages of mid-field terminals with efficient land usage, and fuel and time efficiency for aircraft ops could build more cash flow than a short term capex save.

[Pradyumna Murhar @prad_evolution]

@90s_kidSSCI @Dev_Fadnavis @CMOMaharashtra @nitin_gadkari @Devendra_Office @OfficeOfNG The cargo hub airports I pointed to earlier have a fraction of that civilian volume: MEM (4.5MPPA), LEJ 2.5, CVG & IND 9 and spaced II runways. DXB forced staggered ops for land paucity, not a right comparison. There are several such examples available if one wants to force fit.

[Pradyumna Murhar @prad_evolution]

@90s_kidSSCI very beautiful demonstration of how folks with fake experience find others ignorant

[Pradyumna Murhar @prad_evolution]

@90s_kidSSCI I referred to we as in both state & pvt. sector, involved in this PPP project, who have a vision to make NAG competitive on a global stage. As far as your experienced observations are concerned, I got their seriousness or lack of it based on your "right-sized" comment earlier

[Pradyumna Murhar @prad_evolution]

@90s_kidSSCI We invest in India's future and will not limit our assessments to what did not happen in last 30 years. India's future is beyond tier-1 towns. HYD competes, NAG will also compete. New layout is no way close to calling "right-sizing", if that's what your 30yr gyaan tells you.

[Pradyumna Murhar @prad_evolution]

@90s_kidSSCI You might think of it as a grandiose ambition, I think of it as a competitive advantage for those cos looking to do capex for scale!

[Pradyumna Murhar @prad_evolution]

@90s_kidSSCI The State (via MADC, MahaMetro, NHAI) absorbs that risk by pooling land and building the power/rail/road grid, while GMR builds the aviation assets. This creates a 'plug-and-play' base that allows logistics firms, MROs, and defense manufacturers to seamlessly scale operations...

[Pradyumna Murhar @prad_evolution]

@Dev_Fadnavis @CMOMaharashtra @nitin_gadkari @Devendra_Office @OfficeOfNG Requesting you to please finalise the design keeping these scenarios in mind. @nagpurairport @Sribhandu

[Pradyumna Murhar @prad_evolution]

@Dev_Fadnavis @CMOMaharashtra @nitin_gadkari @Devendra_Office @OfficeOfNG The location of new terminal is also interesting, given that it is moved further away from Wardha Road & New Airport Metro Station, compared to original design. This will require investment in establishing shuttle (light rail or tram) between terminal & metro station...