Manufacturing Startups To Watch: 5 Startups That Caught Our Eye In April

India’s manufacturing story is entering a complex, but defining phase. In recent times, the sector has seen both momentum and friction play out in parallel. 

On the one hand, the government continues to double down on manufacturing-led growth — be it expanding the scope of the Startup India fund of funds scheme to include tech-driven manufacturing startups, or clearing 29 new projects worth over ₹7,100 Cr under the Electronics Component Manufacturing Scheme (ECMS). Policies and capital are increasingly being aligned to support industrial innovation, and the push is only getting sharper. 

The approval of the ₹33,600 Cr BHAVYA scheme to develop 100 plug-and-play industrial parks signals a clear intent to build large-scale infrastructure for manufacturing-led growth. Besides, continued incentives for semiconductors, electronics and critical supply chains reflect a broader ambition to move India up the global manufacturing value chain.

On the other hand, however, some recent developments have also exposed the sector’s underlying vulnerabilities. Supply-side disruptions, such as the LPG crisis triggered by geopolitical tensions in West Asia, have begun impacting manufacturing units and labour availability across key industrial clusters like Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Delhi NCR. 

For many new-age brands, workforce shortages and rising input costs have become immediate operational challenges.

Yet, despite near-term disruptions, the broader trajectory remains promising. India’s manufacturing ecosystem is not only expanding in scale but also evolving in structure. 

The focus is steadily shifting towards building domestic supply chains, strengthening component manufacturing, and enabling deeptech-led industrial innovation.

Startups are increasingly stepping up to fill this gap. From semiconductor design and electronics hardware to aerospace systems and industrial robotics, a new wave of founders is emerging at the intersection of technology and manufacturing. 

Against this backdrop, we are back with the second edition of Inc42’s bimonthly series, ‘5 Manufacturing Startups To Watch’, which spotlights major early stage disruptors in the realm of manufacturing.  

This latest edition features companies building high-performance computing hardware, embedded electronics, and solar-powered UAVs and robots.

With that said, here are the five manufacturing startups that caught our eye in April 2026.

Editor’s Note: This list is not a ranking. It is a curated selection of manufacturing startups that have stood out to the Inc42 editorial team this month. 

Anmaya Technologies | Building India’s Defence Hardware Backbone

As India strengthens its defence and space tech capabilities, high-performance computing hardware is becoming central to next-generation systems such as satellites, drones and secure communication networks. 

Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA)-based systems are increasingly being adopted in mission-critical environments. But the country still remains dependent on overseas vendors for this technology, owing to its high development costs. But a Karnataka-based startup is trying to change this.

Founded in 2022 by Nandavara Jayaram Hariprasad and Shobhitha Ujire, Anmaya Technologies operates in the FPGA-based system-on-module (SoM) manufacturing segment, building customised hardware solutions for aerospace, defence and high-performance computing applications.

It designs and manufactures FPGA-based modules tailored for specific use cases, including satellite systems, drone communication and compute acceleration. It operates in the Indian FPGA market, which is projected to reach $1,486.8 Mn by 2030.

With a growing client portfolio across the spacetech and defence tech sectors, Anmaya is expanding into adjacent areas, including anti-drone technologies and signal intelligence systems.

As India pushes for defence indigenisation and private sector participation in space tech, FPGA-based hardware manufacturers like Anmaya are critical enablers of advanced electronic and embedded systems.  

Bacancy Systems | Engineering India’s EV And Rail Future 

As India scales its electric mobility and railway modernisation efforts, embedded electronics are becoming critical to the development of next-generation infrastructure. From EV charging systems to smart rail networks, the need for reliable, locally manufactured control systems is rising rapidly.

Founded in 2021 by Binal Patel, Krunal Patel and Hardik Sheth, Bacancy Systems builds hardware and software solutions across electric mobility, healthcare and railway systems.

Its core capabilities include EV charging controllers, battery management systems (BMS), motor controllers and embedded IoT solutions. The company is also developing train control and management systems (TCMS), traction converter controls, and passenger information systems that aim to improve efficiency and reliability in rail networks.

With a dedicated production facility and end-to-end capabilities spanning design, validation and manufacturing, Bacancy positions itself as a full-stack embedded systems provider. Backed by a recent ₹40 Cr funding round, the startup is expanding its manufacturing stack and R&D efforts to deepen its presence in the country’s BMS and EV embedded electronics space, projected to become a $4.09 Bn opportunity by 2033. 

As India pushes for domestic electronics manufacturing under schemes like ECMS, Bacancy could emerge as a key enabler of industrial-grade embedded systems.  

Maraal Aerospace | Pushing The Limits Of Drone Flight

As India strengthens its defence capabilities, unmanned aerial systems are becoming central to intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) operations. However, limited flight endurance remains a key constraint for traditional drones. 

Founded in 2023 by Vivek Kumar Pandey and incubated at IIT Kanpur, Maraal Aerospace designs and manufactures solar-powered, fixed-wing autonomous aerial vehicles in the UAV and drone systems market, likely to become a $4 Bn opportunity by 2033.

Its flagship systems include solar UAVs capable of operating for 12 to 16 hours, as well as high-altitude pseudo-satellite (HAPS) platforms. These systems are designed for applications across ISR missions, maritime monitoring, search and rescue, environmental tracking and precision agriculture.

By leveraging solar energy, the startup aims to significantly extend operational flight times, enabling persistent aerial surveillance without frequent refuelling or battery swaps. The startup is also working closely with defence stakeholders to address real-world operational challenges in long-duration missions.

Pace Robotics | Turning Construction Autonomous 

As India’s construction sector scales rapidly, productivity constraints and labour shortages are becoming a major bottleneck. Finishing work, such as painting, sanding, and puttying, remains labour-intensive, time-consuming, and inconsistent in quality.

Founded in 2020 by Ayushmoy Roy and Srinivas K Pai, Pace Robotics operates in the construction robotics and industrial automation segment. The startup designs and manufactures autonomous robots for the construction robotics market, projected to reach nearly $200 Mn by 2030.

Its flagship product, Centa Painter, is a modular robot capable of autonomously performing painting, puttying and sanding tasks on walls and ceilings. Equipped with advanced sensors, the system can self-align, detect openings like doors and windows, and execute tasks without manual intervention.

The robot delivers up to 10X faster execution, reduces manpower requirements by up to 80%, and lowers costs by up to 3X. With successful pilot deployments and partnerships with large real estate players, the company is validating its model across real-world construction environments.

Silizium Circuits | Building High-Value Semiconductor IP

As India moves ahead with its semiconductor plans through design and manufacturing initiatives, building strong chip design capabilities has become crucial.

High-frequency wireless communication, navigation systems and satellite connectivity all depend on advanced analogue, RF and mixed-signal semiconductors, an area historically dominated by global players.

Founded in 2020 by Arun Ashok and Rijin John, Silizium Circuits is a fabless semiconductor startup focused on designing high-value semiconductor IPs, chipsets, and System-on-Chip (SoC) solutions for wireless applications.

Its core capabilities span GNSS/NavIC front-end modules, 5G RF front-end modules, Sub-GHz IoT connectivity chips and satellite communication components. 

Silizium monetises through IP licensing, chip sales and custom semiconductor development, enabling both near-term engineering revenues and long-term royalty streams. 

With applications across telecom, EVs, drones, IoT and defence systems, the startup has its eye on the global RF semiconductor market, projected to reach nearly $69.7 Bn by 2030.

[Edited by: Shishir Parasher]
[Creatives by: Abhyam Gusai]

The post Manufacturing Startups To Watch: 5 Startups That Caught Our Eye In April appeared first on Inc42 Media.