Sarla Aviation Raises $10M to Build Flying Taxis, Backed by Binny Bansal and Nikhil Kamath
Flying taxi startup Sarla Aviation secures Series A1 funding led by Accel, with participation from prominent angel investors including Flipkart and Zerodha co-founders.
Key Facts
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Deal size | $10M |
| Lead investor | Accel |
| Headquarters | Delhi, India |
| Sector | Sarla Aviation |
| Coverage | Startup Funding |
Sarla Aviation, a flying taxi startup, has secured $10 million in a Series A1 funding round led by Accel. The round attracted an impressive roster of angel investors from India's startup ecosystem.
Star-Studded Cap Table
The round saw participation from some of India's most successful entrepreneurs:
The Vision
Founded in October 2023 by Rakesh Gaonkar, Shivam Chauhan, and Adrian Schmidt, Sarla Aviation is working to make flying taxis a reality in India. The company aims for its first commercial flight by 2028.
"We see our service as a cleaner, quieter, and more affordable alternative to traditional helicopter taxis," said co-founder Rakesh Gaonkar. "Urban air mobility is the future of transportation in congested cities."
Prototype Unveiling
The company unveiled its flying prototype at the Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2025 in Delhi NCR on January 17. The electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft is designed for short urban commutes.
Use of Funds
The fresh capital will be deployed for:
The Urban Air Mobility Opportunity
India's urban air mobility market is expected to reach $1 billion by 2030, driven by:
Sarla Aviation joins a global race with companies like Joby Aviation, Lilium, and Archer competing to launch commercial flying taxi services.
Reported by Rohit Menon. Spotted an error in this story? Request a correction or email corrections@startupory.com. See our editorial policy.
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