IndiGo Ventures Secures Rs 450 Crore Fund and Invests in Jeh Aerospace Startup

IndiGo Ventures, the corporate venture capital division of IndiGo, has announced the initial closing of its first fund at Rs 450 crore. The company also revealed its first investment in Hyderabad-based aerospace startup Jeh Aerospace, though the investment amount remains undisclosed. Jeh Aerospace plans to use this funding to enhance its digital manufacturing capabilities, improve AI-driven production optimisation, and strengthen supply chain integration.

IndiGo Ventures was launched in August last year with SEBI's approval to raise Rs 600 crore. The fund focuses on early-stage startups that are innovating in aviation and related sectors. It targets companies in the pre-Series A to Series B stages, prioritising long-term strategic alignment. This initial closing and investment in Jeh Aerospace represent a significant move in IndiGo's broader innovation strategy, combining operational expertise with capital to support entrepreneurs tackling key challenges in aerospace.

Focus on Innovation and Strategic Growth

Jeh Aerospace was founded by industry veterans Vishal Sanghavi and Venkatesh Mudragalla, who have experience with Tata's aerospace joint ventures with Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Sikorsky. Within its first year, Jeh Aerospace expanded to a team of 100 specialised engineers and technicians. They have delivered 100,000 flight-critical aeroengine components and precision tools meeting AS9100 standards and secured USD 100 million in long-term contracts with global aerospace firms.

Pieter Elbers, Chief Executive Officer at IndiGo, stated, "By combining our technical expertise and global footprint, this partnership with Jeh Aerospace will propel use of next-generation technology in the aerospace and aviation sector. This investment also strengthens the Indo-US aerospace ties, advances make-in-India and accelerates innovation, contributing to realising India's potential to become a global aerospace and aviation hub."

Strengthening Indo-US Aerospace Ties

Despite India's rapid growth as an aviation market, it remains a minor player in global aerospace manufacturing. This highlights a significant gap in domestic manufacturing capacity. Jeh Aerospace aims to address this by creating a future-ready aerospace ecosystem using India's talent pool, advanced manufacturing techniques, and AI-driven digital platforms.

Vishal R. Sanghavi, Co-founder and CEO of Jeh Aerospace, expressed confidence in the investment's impact: "At Jeh Aerospace, we are forging a future-ready aerospace ecosystem by leveraging India's exceptional talent, advanced manufacturing, and AI-driven digital platforms. This investment empowers us to scale production capacity to meet growing demand from our global customers, ensuring flawless, on-time delivery of high-precision components."

The collaboration between IndiGo Ventures and Jeh Aerospace is expected to drive the adoption of next-generation technology within the aerospace sector. This partnership not only strengthens Indo-US aerospace relations but also supports India's ambition to become a leading hub for aerospace innovation.

With inputs from PTI