On July 18, 2026, Skyroot Aerospace’s Vikram-1 launch made India only the third country in the world, after the US and China, with private orbital launch capability.

Skyroot was founded nearly eight years ago by former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientists. Its leaps from then to now required scientific expertise, patient investors, access to public infrastructure, regulatory support, and close engagement with ISRO and the wider space ecosystem.

A company may spend years developing a product; even after a successful demonstration, it still has to manufacture it, find customers, raise more capital, meet certification requirements and build a business before attaining commercial success

Skyroot has crossed several of these barriers. Most startups do not. Let’s try and understand why. You are an engineer and want to build a grid-scale battery technology that can help manage renewable power more reliably.

The first few years are spent in research and development, and trying to show that the technology is safe, reliable, and actually works.

At this stage, India does have entry points for a founder like you. An Atal Incubation Centre may provide early mentoring, facilities, and connections. If the technology has a defence application, the Innovations for Defence Excellence programme may support its development. A biotechnology startup may turn to BIRAC, while companies working in semiconductors, artificial intelligence (AI), quantum technology or space can draw on the wider mission architecture that the government has built around these sectors.

Also Read | India becomes 3rd nation with private orbital launch after Vikram-1 success

Public funding can crowd-in private capital. The original Fund of Funds for Startups committed its full corpus to 145 alternative investment funds (AIFs).

For your battery company, this support might help pay for laboratory........

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