Zebu, a defense technology startup, has raised $1 million in a pre-Series A funding round headed by Bluehill Venture Capital.
In order to support India’s defense modernization and bolster its own military capabilities, Zebu stated in a press release that the proceeds would be utilized to expedite the development of four of its mission-critical drones from prototype to battlefield deployment.
Defense-tech startup Zebu was founded in 2021 by Santosh Balajee Banisetty and creates mission-ready counter-drone systems for the world’s armed forces. A six-cartridge IAF Net Drone that neutralizes hostile drones, an Indian Coast Guard sea-surface combat and rescue drone, an IAF offensive combat drone that can use swarms, and a tethered surveillance drone for Army border patrols are among the four products the startup has unveiled for the Indian military.
Market research predicts that by 2030, the global counter-drone market will grow to a value of $11 billion.
The IAF Net Capture Drone, a sky sentinel that can catch enemy drones in midair like a futuristic spiderweb, has progressed from a skeletal model to radar integration over the past six months and is now getting close to military-grade certification milestones, according to the Hyderabad-based company. Additionally, it is in advanced negotiations to supply its drones to a leading defense manufacturer.
With rapid-fire pneumatic launchers, Zebu is constructing an Anti-Drone Swarm System for the Air Force that should be operational by the end of 2025. Its purpose is to use coordinated strikes to overwhelm enemy drones. The Tethered Surveillance Drone, the Army’s round-the-clock “Eye in the Sky,” has already received approval from several regiments and could be widely deployed by mid-2025. It provides continuous border monitoring.
By modifying its military-grade technology for business use, Zebu is entering the commercial market in addition to government contracts. It asserts that private OEMs in Southeast Asia, the United States, and India are showing a great deal of interest in its exclusive Ground Control Station (GCS).
