Catalyx Space Raises $5.4 Mn To Scale Full-Stack Space Logistics

Early-stage spacetech startup Catalyx Space has raised $5.4 Mn (around INR 47.4 Cr) in its seed funding round led by Outlander VC. Other investors that participated in the funding round were Arka Venture Labs, Lex Reddy, KDX Management LLC, Together, Higher Life Ventures, Nivesha Ventures, Prana Tech Ventures, Bria, HF0 Residency and Techstars. 

The startup intends to deploy the fresh capital to develop a complete back-end infrastructure for space, which enables upmass and downmass in orbital logistics. “This round will help us demonstrate our next-generation re-entry and landing technology, scale our GTM, and execute upcoming missions,” Catalyx Space’s CEO Rifath Shaarook said in a social media post. 

Founded in 2024 by former Space Kidz India execs Shaarook, Saqib Hussain, Keerthan Chand Aluvala and Clinton D Antony, Catalyx Space offers unmanned space labs and re-entry capsules for multi-purpose space operations, serving entities and researchers.

The startup, which is headquartered in San Francisco but operates out of Ahmedabad, aims to democratise access to space by offering a vertically integrated platform that simplifies satellite deployment and in-orbit experimentation.

Prior to this round, the startup raised $1.7 Mn in its pre-seed funding round in January 2025. Since then, it has successfully conducted a second drop test of its REX capsule from an altitude of 14,000 feet, validating its recovery and re-entry systems under real-world conditions 

It has also partnered with over 26 space missions and launched one orbital satellite, with plans to demonstrate its 50 kg-class Cosmotron satellite bus in early 2026. With the help of its tech stack, Catalyx’s clients can simply install their payloads in Cosmotron to access data directly from space on the web portal, through a ground station network.

The funding comes at a time when the Indian government is also trying to push the spacetech sector in India. Last year in October, the Centre approved setting up a INR 1,000 VC fund to give a push to the space economy. 

In line with the regulatory push, many Indian spacetech startups have emerged in recent times, targeting different aspects of space engineering. Investors are rushing towards the spacetech sector as it is expected to become a more than $77 Bn opportunity by 2030. Recently funded spacetech startups include the likes of SatLeo, OmSpace Rockets and Manatsu among others.