New Delhi. Aerospace & Defence (A&D) manufacturing startup Jeh Aerospace announced that it has raised $2.75 million in seed funding through a strategic partnership with leading global VC firm General Catalyst. Additionally, highly reputed aerospace industry veterans including Pratyush (Prat) Kumar, Former President, Boeing India & Dwarakanath (Dwaraka) Srinivasan – Former CEO and MD, Airbus India participated in the round as angel investors. Jeh Aerospace aims to play a meaningful role in solving global supply chain constraints plaguing the industry. The company provides ready manufacturing solutions to the A&D industry through its scalable manufacturing facilities and vetted supplier networks that meet or exceed global quality standards. The funds will be deployed to build infrastructure, fuel growth, and prepare a world-class team to transform the supply chain experience for global aerospace customers
The global aerospace industry confronts several significant challenges that impact its reliability and resilience. These challenges relate to complexity, geopolitical factors, supply chain disruptions, and workforce constraints in the established centers of A&D manufacturing in the USA and Western Europe, enabling new sources of manufacturing capacities and capable talent to build reliable, responsive, and resilient supply chains. That’s precisely where Jeh comes in, harnessing India’s full potential for A&D manufacturing and introducing contemporary digital and AI technology from day one.
Commenting on the funding, Co-founders Vishal Sanghavi and Venkatesh Mudragalla, Jeh Aerospace said, “This is the most challenging of times and also the most exciting of times for the global aerospace and defense industry. On one hand, the demand has sharply bounced back post-COVID; on the other, it is severely constrained on the supply side. Jeh Aerospace, with its presence in the US and India, is very well placed to alleviate this industry pain in a meaningful way. We have found strong traction with global customers, helping them improve delivery and supporting their growth needs. We are excited about our upcoming journey and thank all our investors for supporting our tryst with entrepreneurship.”
Anand Chandrasekaran, Partner, General Catalyst added, “Since our introduction to Vishal and Venky, we’ve been captivated by their ambitious drive, unwavering commitment to excellence, and dedication to responsible innovation. As one example of their ambition, they recruited our friend, Prat Kumar, a former Boeing executive who until recently led Boeing’s iconic F-15 Program, to be a key mentor on their journey. Their strategic focus on addressing the critical challenges faced by Tier-2 and 3 aerospace suppliers in the US through leveraging India’s dynamic labor pool and manufacturing strengths in the India-US corridor we think is commendable. We believe their early traction is an indication that they are on the right track. General Catalyst is excited to be part of the Jeh Aerospace journey.”
The cofounders Vishal R Sanghavi (ex-Chief Operating Officer, Tata Boeing Aerospace Limited) & Venkatesh Mudragalla (ex-Head of Program Management & Operations, Tata Sikorsky Aerospace Limited) played a crucial role over the last decade in unlocking India’s potential for marquee OEMs like Boeing, Lockheed, Sikorsky, GE, Pilatus, etc. They have now founded Jeh Aerospace to help a large base of global Tier 1 and Tier 2 Manufacturers leverage India’s capabilities, capacities, and cost competitiveness and develop a reliable and resilient supply base in a hassle-free manner. Working for years in the US-India corridor has helped both founders prepare for a more robust and adaptable aerospace supply chain, capable of withstanding various challenges and uncertainties.
