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

India’s manufacturing ecosystem is entering a phase, where industrial growth is being driven by deeptech, automation and the push for self-reliance.

Over the past few months, the sector has seen fresh momentum across semiconductors, robotics, drones and electronics manufacturing. This means that India’s manufacturing ambitions are steadily moving towards more advanced technologies.

Meanwhile, the Centre’s ₹1 Lakh Cr Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) scheme has started supporting deeptech manufacturing startups working in areas such as drones, spacetech and robotics.

At the same time, the government has expanded semiconductor and electronics manufacturing incentives through schemes like the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) and the Electronics Component Manufacturing Scheme (ECMS). These efforts aim to strengthen local manufacturing and reduce dependence on imports for critical technologies.

Private investment in the sector is also rising. Startups such as HrdWyr, Mekr and Anscer Robotics recently raised fresh funding to scale AI-native chips, electronics manufacturing platforms and industrial robotics systems.

The overall trend highlights growing confidence in India’s ability to build advanced manufacturing capabilities beyond traditional assembly-led models.

However, the transition is not easy. Manufacturing companies are still dealing with supply chain disruptions, rising operational costs and increasing pressure to automate labour-heavy processes. At the same time, global geopolitical tensions and changing trade dynamics are forcing countries to rethink industrial dependencies and supply chain resilience.

Despite this, the larger shift is becoming more visible as the country’s manufacturing ecosystem moves from low-cost production to tech-led industrial growth.

Against this backdrop, we are back with Inc42’s newest IP, ‘Five Manufacturing Startups To Watch’. The third edition of this series features companies building industrial automation systems, operational intelligence platforms, defence robotics, semiconductor power solutions and electronics manufacturing technologies.

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

Aumnatic Systems | Offering Innovative Electronics Solutions 

As India pushes to strengthen its domestic electronics manufacturing capabilities, companies are increasingly looking for partners that can help take products from concept to large-scale production while meeting regulatory and quality requirements.

Founded in 2020 by Sudhanshu Shekhar and Mrityunjay Kumar, Aumnatic Systems operates in the electronics system design and manufacturing (ESDM) segment, offering end-to-end electronics development and manufacturing services.

In India’s electronics manufacturing industry, projected to become a $500 Bn opportunity by FY30, Aumnatic’s capabilities span electronics design, manufacturing integration, quality assurance, reverse engineering and value engineering across industries such as transit, medtech and toytronics.

It caters to the growing demand for indigenous electronics product development as India pushes deeper localisation across consumer electronics, smart devices, and industrial systems.

The startup is building capabilities around connected and programmable toy electronics, an area seeing growing demand as global toy brands increasingly experiment with interactive, sensor-led and learning-focused play experiences.

The startup also runs AuLab, an innovation centre focused on electronics-enabled toy development and modular toy systems. By combining product engineering with manufacturing and compliance expertise, Aumnatic is positioning itself as a full-stack electronics innovation partner for Indian businesses building next-generation hardware products.

Edgeforce Solutions | Cutting Edge Tech For Security Forces

As defence technologies evolve globally, autonomous systems, robotics and AI-led battlefield intelligence are becoming increasingly important for modern security infrastructure. India’s push for defence indigenisation has further accelerated demand for domestically developed strategic technologies.

Founded in 2020 by P Hani and N Sriramesh, Edgeforce Solutions operates in the defence robotics and autonomous systems segment, developing technologies across unmanned systems, XR platforms, edge AI and military electronics.

The startup is also developing AI-driven robotic systems and autonomous UGV-integrated robotic arms capable of handling precision tasks across defence, mining and disaster-response environments with minimal human intervention.

In the country’s edge AI market for defence and autonomous security systems, projected to grow from a mere $1 Bn in 2025 to $7.55 Bn by 2033, Edgeforce’s product portfolio spans unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs), simulation systems, radar and signal technologies, robotics platforms and AI-based defence systems tailored for security and strategic applications.

The startup positions itself around building in-house capabilities for India’s defence ecosystem while collaborating with government organisations, industrial partners and academia. As military modernisation increasingly shifts toward intelligent autonomous systems, companies like Edgeforce are emerging as part of India’s broader deeptech defence manufacturing push.

iVP Semiconductor | Building Power Semiconductor Stack

As India accelerates investments into EVs, renewable energy and electronics manufacturing, demand for locally designed semiconductor components is on the rise. However, a significant portion of India’s power semiconductor requirements still depends on imports.

Founded in 2024 by Raja Manickam, iVP Semiconductor operates in India’s semiconductor and electronics component manufacturing segment, developing chips and intelligent power modules for industrial and mobility applications.

Its product portfolio includes MOSFETs, DC-DC converters, low-dropout regulators and connectivity modules designed for applications across EVs, solar infrastructure, industrial automation and consumer electronics.

The startup is positioning itself around localisation, shorter lead times and flexible semiconductor design support for Indian manufacturers. With applications spanning EV traction systems, battery chargers, industrial equipment and renewable energy systems, iVP Semiconductor is aligning itself with India’s broader ambition to strengthen domestic semiconductor manufacturing and reduce dependence on imported electronic components.

Swayatt Drishtigochar | Building Smarter Factory Operations

As Indian manufacturers increasingly adopt Industry 4.0 technologies, predictive maintenance and real-time asset monitoring are becoming critical to improving factory efficiency. Yet, many production environments still rely on fragmented maintenance systems and reactive workflows, leading to downtime and operational inefficiencies.

Founded in 2023 by Akshay Goyal, Anshuman Fauzdar and Sunny Vedwal, Swayatt Drishtigochar operates in the country’s predictive maintenance market, projected to become a nearly $3 Bn market opportunity by 2034. In this space, the startup builds smart CMMS and machine intelligence systems for factories.

Its product stack combines sensor modules, AI-powered analytics, camera systems, HMI gateways and monitoring software to help manufacturers track machine health, reduce downtime and optimise maintenance cycles. The startup’s systems are designed for applications across CNC machines, bearings, industrial fans and broader factory equipment environments.

With capabilities spanning consultancy, hardware deployment, onboarding and real-time monitoring, Swayatt is positioning itself as an end-to-end industrial intelligence layer for modern manufacturing operations.

Zedral | Bringing Operational Intelligence To Factory Floors

As factories become increasingly digitised, manufacturers are looking beyond basic automation toward systems that can interpret production data in real time. However, many industrial environments still struggle with fragmented visibility across production lines, bottlenecks and operational workflows.

Founded in 2026 by Jasnoor Singh and Sreejan Datta, Zedral operates in the manufacturing operations management (MOM) software market, building software systems focused on OEE tracking, bottleneck detection and compliance management.

Its platform ingests operational data from sources such as shop-floor inputs, SAP/ERP systems, IoT sensors, and computer vision feeds to surface real-time operational intelligence without infrastructure overhauls. By cross-referencing these data streams through a unified intelligence engine, Zedral helps manufacturers identify bottlenecks, process inefficiencies, and operational losses in real time.

The startup also digitises shift planning, workforce coordination, and production scheduling, replacing manual logs and Excel-based workflows with role-specific operational insights, ML-driven anomaly detection, and financial-impact visibility for plant operators, supervisors, and leadership teams across mid-market industrial facilities.

The startup operates in the Manufacturing Operations Management (MOM) software market, which was valued at about $16.8 Bn in 2025 and is projected to grow to nearly $41.2 Bn by 2034, at a CAGR of around 10.6%.

With Inputs From Venu Rathore
Edited by Shishir Parasher
Creatives by Abhyam Gusai

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