An exciting development is unfolding in India's space technology scene. Ulook, a Bengaluru-based startup, has just secured ₹19 crore (roughly £1.8 million) in funding to develop something quite remarkable – autonomous satellite swarms that can track radio signals from space.
The investment round was jointly led by GrowX Ventures and InfoEdge Ventures, two firms clearly betting on the future of Indian space technology.
So what makes Ulook different?
Most satellites we hear about take pictures from space – think Google Earth-style imagery. But Ulook's satellites work completely differently. Instead of cameras, they're designed to pick up radio frequency (RF) signals – essentially the invisible radio waves that ships, planes, and other devices constantly emit.
Why does this matter? In that case, radio signals can't be deceived the same way a camera might not be able to see a person hiding. Vessels are able to turn off their tracking devices or cover up their identification marks with paint, however, they will not be able to stop sending out signals if they need to talk or find their way around.
Tracking the 'shadow fleet'
Siddhesh Naik, who co-founded and runs Ulook, explained to The Economic Times that they've been keeping an eye on something called "shadow fleets" in the Indian Ocean – basically vessels that don't want to be tracked. "Our satellites can pick up hidden radio markers to pinpoint the location, track movement, and monitor how long vessels stay in a particular area," he said.
An example is the security system which recognizes the intruders and even determining their mobile phone signals.
Who is the mastermind behind this?
Naik started Ulook alongside Adheesh Boratkar. Both founders bring serious credentials to the table, with backgrounds in low-earth orbit satellites, drone swarm systems, and high-altitude satellite technology. They reckon their innovation could be useful for defence, security operations, and even monitoring activity in special economic zones.
Taking it slowly and carefully
What's refreshing is the founders' measured approach. "Our focus right now is building and testing our first prototype in North Bengaluru," Boratkar explained. "A significant chunk of this funding will go into thorough ground testing before we even think about launching. We've seen what can happen when testing gets rushed."
It's the kind of cautious, methodical thinking that inspires confidence – especially when you're dealing with technology that'll eventually be orbiting Earth.
Building an all-star team
Ulook is recruiting talents from premier Indian institutes like ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization) and DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organization) after the fresh funding. The aim is to get a team that will be able to realize their ambitious vision and at the same time keep the technology in Indian hands.
Why investors are excited
Manish Gupta, a partner at GrowX Ventures, didn't hide his enthusiasm: "Ulook's pursuit of autonomous intelligent satellite systems shows not just technical brilliance, but a commitment to homegrown innovation that could have lasting global impact. The founders' engineering background and clear vision made this an opportunity we couldn't pass up."
A new direction for Indian space-tech
Ulook represents something of a shift in India's space technology landscape. Whilst satellite imaging startups have grabbed plenty of headlines recently, RF sensing remains relatively unexplored territory in India – despite being strategically crucial.
Shifting the perspective from optical imagery to the electromagnetic spectrum, Ulook is ushering in new applications in very critical and very profitable areas such as national security, maritime surveillance, and industrial monitoring.
The bigger picture
The implementation of this technology is a smooth one with India's larger space ambitions, especially in the area of low-earth orbit capabilities and defence applications, where it becomes a major player. The transitioning of satellite networks into more complicated forms entails the ability to command satellite swarms and process RF data instantly and this is a clear advantage over the traditional process. The analysts believe that Ulook’s method would not only improve India’s defence sector and sea monitoring tremendously but also do it at a very low cost when compared to the traditional way.
Investor confidence in India’s deep-tech sector is also reflected by the ₹19 crore funding round. Technological advancements in aerospace, AI-driven systems, and RF-sensing that are supported by venture capitalists have a place like GrowX and InfoEdge for the startups and these will be the ones to grow quicker than others. The case of Ulook is one where the application of technology with outstanding leadership and execution capability can attract investments of high value as well as move the industry forward.
What comes next?
Ulook has the ambition to have its first working prototype in operation by the end of the year, aiming eventually for a completely autonomous satellite network that provides uninterrupted RF surveillance as its final target. India has taken another significant step toward the development of advanced space capabilities and it has also been proven that domestic startups can take on the global competition in advanced technology areas.
In essence, Ulook represents a new generation of Indian space-tech companies – ones that combine engineering excellence with strategic thinking and solid investor support to create solutions with both commercial and national importance. As the company moves forward and redefines satellite monitoring through autonomous RF sensing, many will be watching closely. This could well be a frontier that shapes India's space-tech story for years to come.
