Coratia Applied sciences, an Odisha-based deeptech startup that builds underwater robots, has raised Rs 18 crore in a bridge spherical led by MGF Kavachh, the venture capital fund floated by former Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar.

The newest funding marks a follow-on investment by MGF Kavachh, which had beforehand backed Coratia’s Rs 17 crore pre-Sequence A spherical in 2025 alongside Pontaq Ventures.

The startup subsequently secured Rs 5 crore in a separate spherical led by Piper Serica and likewise obtained Rs 1 crore by T-Hub’s SIDBI iDEX Fund.

Coratia stated the recent capital will go in direction of executing its Rs 66 crore contract with the Indian Navy below the iDEX initiative, dashing up analysis and growth on new merchandise, strengthening its underwater robotics capabilities, and scaling manufacturing and deployment for defence and important infrastructure functions.

The bridge spherical is barely bigger than the pre-Sequence A, and collectively the 2 rounds quantity to about Rs 35 crore. The brand new cash is the same as roughly 27% of the worth of the Navy contract.

“Indian waters current distinctive challenges, together with excessive turbidity, silt, low visibility and altering currents. Our focus is on miniaturising expertise whereas advancing our methods’ intelligence, functionality and deployability throughout defence, infrastructure and industrial functions,” stated Debendra Pradhan, co-founder and CEO of Coratia.

Raj Sethia, founder and managing accomplice of MGF Kavachh, stated Coratia’s engineering and analysis capabilities can serve defence, essential infrastructure and the broader maritime financial system. Vandana Swarup, Director of Investments at MGF Kavachh, stated the follow-on funding would assist the corporate advance its growth plans and increase deployments.

The Navy contract

The Indian Navy signed the Rs 66 crore contract with Coratia in September 2025 below the Ministry of Defence’s Improvements for Defence Excellence (iDEX) scheme. Coratia had received an iDEX problem in January 2023, which supported the event of its methods.

Below the contract, Coratia is to produce three platforms: the Jalasimha and Jaladuta underwater remotely operated automobiles (UWROVs) and the Navya autonomous floor automobile. The methods are constructed for sonar mapping, seabed surveys, ship hull cleansing, minor salvage work and inspection of submerged infrastructure, with AI-based processing of information in actual time.

The deal was described on the time as the primary large-scale induction of indigenously constructed underwater robots into energetic naval service.

Jalasimha, Coratia’s flagship product, has reached Expertise Readiness Stage 9 (TRL-9), the best degree on the size, which signifies a system confirmed in operational situations.

“Induction of indigenous UWROVs not solely reduces prices and reliance on overseas suppliers but additionally combats commerce restrictions and tariff uncertainties,” Biswajit Swain, co-founder and CTO, stated after the contract was signed.

What Coratia does

Coratia builds two sorts of machines: remotely operated automobiles, which a pilot controls from the floor by a tether, and autonomous underwater automobiles, which navigate on their very own. Each carry cameras, sonar and positioning methods to allow them to work in murky water the place visibility is poor and satellite tv for pc navigation doesn’t attain.

The corporate provides AI-based inspection on prime, together with non-destructive testing that assesses a construction’s situation with out damaging it. It runs jobs finish to finish, from placing a automobile within the water to handing over the analysed information and a report.

Past defence, its expertise is used for dams and reservoirs, ports, bridges, pipelines, offshore property, ship infrastructure and subsea communication networks.

Its shoppers and companions embody the Indian Navy, Indian Oil, Indian Railways, Tata Metal, Hindalco Industries, Metal Authority of India (SAIL), Neelachal Ispat Nigam Restricted, Jindal Metal and Energy and NIT Rourkela.

Pradhan and Swain are mechanical engineering graduates of the 2017 batch at NIT Rourkela, the place they joined a analysis group constructing underwater robots. The group received a Ministry of Earth Sciences problem to construct a robotic that might navigate underwater by itself and hit a goal.

After just a few years in company jobs in India and overseas, the 2 returned to start out Coratia full-time in 2021. The corporate pitched on Shark Tank India earlier than touchdown the Navy contract, and employs round 32 individuals, based on experiences. It nonetheless works out of the NIT Rourkela incubation centre the place it started.