Infrax
Sector Renewal Energy | Clean/Solar Energy Website www.infraxsolar.com Location Surat Stage Growth
Author: VG Admin
SME Shakti
Venture Garage kicks off SME Shakti series in 15+ cities, Yes Bank and Yes Securities join hands for Ghaziabad edition
Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh) [India], 18 July, 2025:
Venture Garage launched the first edition of SME Shakti on July 11th at Radisson Blu, Ghaziabad, in partnership with YES BANK and YES Securities. The initiative aims to empower and accelerate growth-ready SMEs and MSMEs across Tier 2 and Tier 3 India, with Ghaziabad marking the beginning of a 15+ city journey.
The Ghaziabad edition of SME Shakti saw an overwhelming turnout with over 50+ SME promoters doing annual profits upto ₹50 crore, and ₹500 crore in annual revenue. The evening focused on key growth drivers such as capital access, regulatory compliance, tech enablement, and scaling strategies, creating a powerful platform for dialogue, opportunity, and strategic networking.
The event was inaugurated by Mr. Pravin Singh, MD of UPICON, who joined as Guest of Honour, and Mr. Avinash Raj, CEO of Mahua Network. They lit the ceremonial lamp and set the tone for the evening. Mr. Singh later contributed actively to a high-impact panel discussion on “The Future of SMEs in India.”
From Left to Right- Mr. Pravin Singh – Upicon, Mr. Vivek Kumar – Venture Garage, Mr. Avinash Raj – Mahua Networks
Professional delegates like Ashiv Shah, COO at AKGEC Institute, Mohit Jain, Partner at CorpNinja, Satendra Shukla and Vishal Gupta, Co-founders of Maxvolt Energy, who engaged in focused discussions around compliance, business growth, and the SME scale-up journey were part of the event along with other esteemed speakers and partners.
“I have attended this SME Shakti event done by Venture Garage and I have found that this is one of the most exciting platforms for aspirational SMEs who will be listed at all the stock exchanges. I wish Venture Garage all the best and look forward to more programs in the coming days.”
— Pravin Singh, MD, UPICON
“SME Shakti is our commitment to India’s business ecosystem, a space where ambition meets opportunity, and where scale, capital, and community intersect. The energy in the room was a clear reminder that SMEs aren’t just part of India’s growth story, they’re the ones driving it forward. We’re incredibly excited about the journey ahead.”
— Vivek Kumar, Co-founder, Venture Garage
From Left to Right: Mr. Vivek Kumar – Venture Garage & Mr. Dhiraj Padiyath – YES Securities
At Venture Garage, the team specializes in empowering founders and promoters with a sharp focus on scaling SMEs by supporting them across their capital-raising journey, from the first cheque to IPOs and M&A exits. With over 5,500 active investors across angel networks, VCs, PEs, and Pre-IPO funds, Venture Garage goes beyond traditional fundraising acting as a strategic partner in growth.
Venture Garage has a portfolio of 55+ companies including 1 Unicorn, 4 $100mil+ valuation startups and 9 SME listed / IPO bound companies which have cumulatively raised over 1000Cr. This portfolio reflects the firm’s deep commitment to helping Indian SMEs become tomorrow’s market leaders.
Following its Ghaziabad debut, SME Shakti will soon travel to Dehradun, Faridabad, and other emerging hubs, continuing its mission to equip India’s most promising SMEs with capital access, expert insights, and community-driven support.
More details: https://venturegarage.in/sme-shakti/
SME Shakti PR
Venture Garage Launches SME Shakti to Empower High-Potential SMEs Across Tier 2 India New Delhi, India – 08 July 2025: Venture Garage, in partnership with YES BANK, is proud to announce the launch of SME Shakti, its flagship initiative aimed at accelerating the growth of …
Saswat Finance raised Pre Series A
Venture Garage congratulates Saswat Finance on its $2.6M Pre-Series A raise Gurugram, 18th July 2025: We’re excited to see our portfolio company Saswat Finance mark a key milestone by raising $2.6 million in a Pre-Series A round led by Ankur Capital, with participation from Incubate …
Karman Drones
About Us
Karman Drones designs, manufactures, and deploys cutting-edge unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for defense, homeland security, and commercial use. With a vision to create high-performance, all-weather drones, the company specializes in autonomous systems capable of operating in extreme conditions.
Karman’s UAVs—ranging from high-endurance surveillance drones to loitering munitions and FPV tactical drones—offer unmatched versatility and dependability across a variety of terrains and missions. Karman also provides drone services, in-house tracking systems, and ground control stations, offering a full-stack UAV solution for clients across the defense and industrial spectrum..
Sector
Drones | Defense Tech
Website
www.karmandrones.com
Location
Noida
Stage
Growth
The Indian drone market is projected to grow from ₹77,300 Cr (2024) to over ₹2,95,000 Cr (2030), driven by increasing demand across defense, commercial, homeland security, and counter-UAS segments. Karman Drones is uniquely positioned to tap into this surge, having already demonstrated technological superiority, successful deployments, and industry-standard certifications. With strategic partnerships for mass production and critical R&D, the company is on track to become a dominant force in India’s rapidly expanding UAV manufacturing sector.
Opportunity
TEAM
CEO
10+ years in large-scale B2G projects, dual MBA, deep tech expertise.
CTO
Former systems engineer in Germany; expert in communication and payload systems.
Director
Veteran in cross-border trade; partner to Alibaba.com in India.
Rench
Sector FinTech | AI | Software/SaasS | Enterprise Tech Website www.onrench.com Location Gurugram Stage Early
Stardour
About Us
Stardour Aerospace is redefining the future of space mobility and propulsion with Lucas, a modular, multi-purpose Orbital Transfer Vehicle (OTV) designed for missions from LEO to deep space.
With a proprietary water-based (green, sustainable) propulsion system and AI-augmented mission operations, Stardour enables low-cost, flexible, and reusable in-space logistics. The company recently became the first in India to successfully test fire a gaseous Hydrogen-Oxygen thruster, in collaboration with IISc Bangalore.
Sector
Spacetech
Website
www.stardour.com
Location
Hyderabad
Stage
Early
In the rapidly evolving space industry, several key market segments are demonstrating strong growth potential and align closely with Stardour’s capabilities. The On-Orbit Satellite Servicing market, valued at $2.4 billion in 2023, is projected to reach $5.1 billion by 2030 with a CAGR of 11.5%, where Stardour’s Lucas platform contributes through repositioning, refuelling, and proximity operations. Deep Space Exploration is another significant segment, growing from $36.3 billion in 2023 to $57.2 billion by 2030 at a 5.02% CAGR, with Lucas Explorer positioned to support scientific cargo missions. The Space Propulsion Systems market is expected to expand from $10.6 billion to $18.1 billion by 2030, growing at 11.3% CAGR, where Stardour leverages its proprietary propulsion IP. Additionally, the SmallSat and Mega-Constellation Launch segment is projected to see over 5000 satellites launched by 2028, experiencing exponential growth, with Stardour’s Lucas platform catering to constellation delivery needs.
Opportunity
TEAM
CEO
Founder, Savart (India’s largest investment advisor with ₹4,500 Cr AUA, Clients from 33 countries); Raised from Beenext, 9Unicorns and VCATS.Youngest fund manager to launch AI-driven autonomous long-term fund (Ad Astra). Featured in TEDx, Brut India, YourStory.
