Shark Tank India 5: Lucknow-based space tech startup Kalam Labs pitched visionary product

Lucknow-based stratospheric aerial robotics startup Kalam Labs is set to make a high-altitude pitch on Shark Tank India Season 5, seeking ₹2 crore for 0.67% equity, valuing the company at nearly ₹300 crore. The startup is positioning itself as a disruptive alternative to certain satellite-based operations by deploying balloon-assisted, high-altitude drones capable of operating in the stratosphere at a fraction of the cost.   

Kalam Labs’ technology targets critical use cases such as weather detection, surveillance, and strategic military operations, offering solutions that are significantly cheaper and more flexible than traditional satellites. The founders say their systems can deliver similar intelligence and monitoring capabilities while costing nearly one-tenth of what global competitors charge.   

Reflecting on their Shark Tank experience, the founders said the show gave them a chance to take their NearSpace vision to millions of Indians. At Kalam Labs, they are building core NearSpace vehicle technologies spanning aerodynamics, avionics, and propulsion, all rooted in deep research and indigenous innovation. Their broader mission, they added, is to make Bharat Atmanirbhar not just in manufacturing, but in research and advanced technology, and to invite the nation to participate in shaping the future of NearSpace.   

The journey of Kalam Labs began with three college friends — Ahmad Faraaz, Sashakt Tripathi, and Harshit Awasthi — who shared a fascination with space and emerging technologies. Before entering the defence sector, the trio built a space metaverse platform and even collaborated on a major Hrithik Roshan film involving a space-themed mission. Over time, their focus shifted from exploration and storytelling to real-world applications, prompting a decisive pivot into defence innovation, where technological impact and urgency are far greater.   

Today, Kalam Labs operates with a 15-member team and specialises in building stratospheric drones capable of flying between 33,000 and 1,64,000 feet — a zone above conventional tropospheric drones and below outer space. The startup runs its own manufacturing and testing facility at its Lucknow headquarters.

The spacetech startup completed its first operational mission with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) in March 2025. Its drones are currently deployed at Pokhran, India’s nuclear test site, and along the Indo-China Line of Control (LAC). Kalam Labs’ key platforms include a Stratospheric ISR UAV for surveillance, a Stratospheric Retrievable Radiosonde for weather monitoring, and a Stratospheric Kamikaze UAV Swarm, which is now in the final testing phase.   

According to the co-founders, the stratospheric nature of Kalam Labs’ UAVs allows them to operate beyond conventional enemy reach, conduct persistent surveillance across vast areas, and safely return after missions — offering a flexible and cost-effective alternative to satellites and high-risk aerial assets.