Shooting for the Stratosphere: Kalam Labs’ Shark Tank Pitch Puts NearSpace Tech on India’s Map

January 9, 2026

In a defining moment for India’s deep-tech ambitions, Lucknow-based Kalam Labs took center stage on Shark Tank India Season 5, showcasing a vision that stretched literally into the stratosphere. The founders, Ahmad Faraz, Sashakt Tripathi, and Harshit Awasthi, pitched their pioneering NearSpace technology—a blend of high-altitude balloons and autonomous drones—not just for investment, but as a national mission to democratize access to the edge of space. Their ask: ₹2 crore for 0.67% equity, translating to a bold valuation of nearly ₹300 crore, a figure that sparked intense scrutiny but underscored their monumental ambition.

From Education to Orbit: A Visionary Pivot

Kalam Labs’ journey is a testament to strategic evolution. Beginning as a space education platform generating a steady ₹1.5 crore in revenue, the team of BITS Pilani graduates pivoted their deep passion into cutting-edge R&D. They shifted focus from teaching about space to building indigenous technology to access it, investing deeply in core areas like aerodynamics, avionics, and propulsion. This pivot reflects a mature understanding of India’s strategic needs: moving from consumer-focused models to foundational, hard-tech innovation.

The Technology: A Disruptive “NearSpace” Platform

The core innovation lies in Kalam Labs’ high-altitude aerial vehicle platform. By synergistically combining balloon-assisted launch systems with drones, they create a flexible, reusable, and drastically more cost-effective alternative to traditional satellites for specific applications. Their dramatic in-studio demo—launching the Shark Tank flag to an altitude of 43 kilometers—visceralized their capability.

The platform’s potential applications are of critical national and commercial importance:

Weather Monitoring: Providing high-resolution atmospheric data for the India Meteorological Department (IMD) at a fraction of current costs.
Border & Maritime Surveillance: Offering persistent, wide-area monitoring capabilities for defense and homeland security.
Communications & Research: Serving as a testbed for atmospheric research and potential backup communication links.

The Shark Tank Grilling: Viability vs. Vision

The Sharks, particularly Anupam Mittal and Aman Gupta, engaged in a classic deep-tech dilemma debate, probing the intersection of visionary technology and commercial reality. Their questions zeroed in on scalability, market size, and the path to revenue beyond government contracts. While the ₹300 crore valuation presented a high barrier, the pitch successfully transcended a mere financial transaction. The founders framed it as a call to action, stating their mission was “Making Bharat Atmanirbhar in NearSpace research – inviting the nation to shape the future.” This narrative positioned Kalam Labs not just as a startup, but as a contributor to national technological sovereignty.

Beyond the Tank: Catalyzing a Regional Ecosystem

Regardless of the deal outcome, Kalam Labs’ national television appearance is a watershed moment for Lucknow and Uttar Pradesh’s burgeoning startup ecosystem. It shines a powerful spotlight on the state’s potential beyond its traditional economic strengths, aligning with the UP government’s push for innovation through its 18,500+ recognized startups and a ₹1,000 crore innovation fund. Kalam Labs stands as a flagship example of the deep-tech talent emerging from non-metro hubs, perfectly aligning with the Atmanirbhar Bharat and IndiaAI Mission goals of fostering innovation across the nation.

The Stratospheric Opportunity for India

Kalam Labs’ pitch underscores a strategic gap and opportunity. While India excels in cost-effective orbital launches via ISRO, the niche of NearSpace (20-100 km altitude) remains underexploited. This layer offers unique advantages for persistent, regional observation and testing—a domain ripe for private sector innovation. Their appearance validates that spacetech is no longer the sole purview of a few global billionaires or massive state agencies; it is a viable, if challenging, frontier for agile, visionary Indian startups.

For founders in spacetech and deep-tech, Kalam Labs has blazed a trail. They demonstrated that with solid technical credentials, a clear strategic pivot, and a compelling national narrative, even the most audacious technologies can capture the imagination of both investors and the public. The stratosphere, it seems, is now firmly on the Indian startup radar.