The Morning Brief Corner Office Conversation with Pawan Goenka, Chairman, IN-SPACe
Jul 21, 2025
Pawan Goenka, Chairman of IN-SPACe and former leader at Mahindra, discusses India's bold entry into the global space race. He highlights the surge of over 300 space startups and the pivotal Space Activities Bill aimed at expanding the sector. Goenka shares insights on transferring ISRO's technology to privatized launches and the creation of a significant VC fund. He also navigates the challenges of funding in deeptech while aiming to grow India's space economy from $8.5 billion to an expected $44 billion by 2033.
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ISRO Supports Private Players
- ISRO is providing industry broad access to its launch pads and test facilities.
- Over 200 instances of private use of ISRO facilities indicate strong collaboration and support.
Overcoming Series B-C Funding Hurdles
- Private space companies should build strong business cases to attract Series B and C investments.
- The 1000 crore VC fund will co-invest to enable larger funding rounds and attract other investors.
Space Sector Coordination Model
- Coordination between ISRO, IN-SPACe, and NSIL relies on multiple formal and informal mechanisms.
- NSIL acts both as a commercial arm and industry participant, balancing roles carefully.