The Aerospace & Defence Acceleration Fund is a strategic initiative by IIMA Ventures in partnership with Jaivel Aerospace, designed to support and scale early-stage startups operating in India’s critical aerospace and defence sectors. The program aims to strengthen India's technological self-reliance and global competitiveness by enabling startups working on high-impact, dual-use deep technologies.
This fund focuses on accelerating the journey of startups from early-stage prototypes to market-ready solutions by combining financial capital with deep ecosystem support. Each selected startup receives USD 400,000 in pre-seed or seed funding, aimed at addressing early capital constraints that often limit deeptech innovation. Beyond funding, the program offers structured support including access to advanced development facilities, global manufacturing networks, and industry partnerships.
A key objective of the fund is to reduce time-to-market for complex technologies by providing startups with hands-on mentorship from global experts in aerospace engineering, advanced manufacturing, and product development. This ensures that founders not only build technically sound solutions but also develop scalable and commercially viable products.
The program is also designed to build a strong portfolio of 8–10 high-impact startups that contribute to India’s strategic capabilities in areas such as autonomy, propulsion, advanced materials, and secure systems. By fostering innovation in these sectors, the fund plays a critical role in enhancing national security, export potential, and technological leadership.
