Photo Courtesy: Sarla Aviation Private Limited
Bengaluru: Sarla Aviation has successfully raised USD 10 million in a Series A1 funding round led by Accel and Nikhil Kamath, with participation from angel investors, including Binny Bansal, Sriharsha Majety, Abhiraj Singh Bhal, Abhishek Goyal, Ramakant Sharma, Sujeet Kumar, Manish Agarwal, and Sandeep Nailwal.
The Company, founded in 2024 by Adrian Schmidt, Rakesh Gaonkar, and Shivam Chauhan, is dedicated to developing affordable and sustainable air mobility solutions for India. The venture is named after Sarla Thakral, India’s first female pilot who earned her pilot’s license In 1936, at just 21.
Adrian Schmidt, Co-Founder and CEO of Sarla Aviation, stated, “This funding is a significant milestone as we advance our mission to revolutionize transportation in India. Our flying taxis are not just about enabling instant and affordable air mobility—they represent a bold step toward unlocking India’s true economic potential and solving critical bottlenecks like traffic congestion and pollution. With the support of our investors, we are accelerating the development of our technology, expanding our team, and establishing a state-of-the-art R&D center. Our first priority is to build a mass mobility system that serves and enables India like cars once transformed and enabled the United States.”
He further added, “We also plan to launch a free-of-cost air ambulance service, addressing the urgent need for rapid medical response and saving countless lives by eliminating traffic-related delays. By prioritizing simplicity and affordability, we aim to create a scalable solution that meets the needs of tomorrow’s Viksit Bharat and fuels the country’s ambition to become a global superpower.”
Sarla Aviation’s hybrid-lift-and-cruise eVTOL offers a payload capacity of 680 kg, enabling 35% more passengers per flight at 4X lower ticket prices than western competitors. The company plans to unveil its first flying taxi prototype on January 17, 2025, at the Bharat Mobility Global Expo in New Delhi, with market launch targeted for 2028.
Pratik Agarwal, Principal at Accel, remarked, “Sarla Aviation’s vision of affordable flying taxis addresses critical urban challenges such as traffic congestion, pollution, and the need for rapid medical response. Adrian, Rakesh, and Shivam are exactly the type of founders who can bring this vision to life; backed by experience from leading global eVTOL companies and a world-class team, they have the right mix of bold vision and ability to execute that will help this idea ‘take off’ practically. Their emphasis on cost economics and reliability could make them a blueprint for other rapidly urbanizing regions worldwide.”
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