Why India’s space tech startups are stepping up hiring

Alongside Bengaluru, Hyderabad has emerged as a major centre for space-tech hiring

• India's space-tech startups ramp up hiring amid rising demand and investment
• Hyderabad and Bengaluru emerge as key hubs for space-tech recruitment
• Digantara and SatSure expand teams across various specializations

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India’s space technology startup ecosystem is seeing a sharp acceleration in hiring, with companies expanding teams across engineering, research and development, manufacturing and operations, according to a report by Economic Times dated January 11.

The uptick in recruitment comes amid a surge in government demand, alongside rising private investment flows and growing commercial deployments, the report said.

Who’s hiring

Citing industry sources, the report identified Digantara, InspeCity Space Labs, Skyroot Aerospace, Bellatrix Aerospace, Astrome Technologies, Dhruva Space, Agnikul Cosmos, SatSure, Garuda Aerospace, Pixxel and Catalyx as among the firms leading the hiring push.

According to the report, segments such as space-based surveillance and early-warning systems are seeing stronger recruitment momentum, with pilot projects increasingly converting into long-term contracts.

Beyond this, demand for specialised talent is being driven by the expansion of the satellite industry, declining launch costs and rapid technological advancements. The hiring trend is not confined to any single segment, with the broader space, satellite and drone ecosystems also witnessing increased demand for skilled professionals.

Digantara, which recently raised Rs 450 crore in a Series B funding round, said it is transitioning into a vertically integrated satellite systems company. Its chief executive officer Anirudh Sharma said the company plans to scale operations and expand into the US and European markets, supported by aggressive hiring across teams.

SatSure, meanwhile, said it is recruiting talent across computer vision science, applied data science, machine learning, optical engineering, satellite image processing and thermal engineering, the report noted.

Hyderabad emerges as key hub

Alongside Bengaluru, Hyderabad has emerged as a major centre for space-tech hiring. The presence of leading defence research laboratories, IIT Hyderabad and relatively lower operating costs have contributed to the city’s growing importance in the sector.

India’s space technology industry is gathering momentum on the back of policy reforms, improved access to funding, rapid startup growth, collaborations with Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and rising global demand, said the report quoted Ashish Sanganeria, senior partner at Transearch as saying.