Founders Turn Decades of Experience into Scalable Innovation
With nearly 20 years of combined experience at Tata Group, Jeh Aerospace co-founders Vishal Sanghavi and Venkatesh Mudragalla are no strangers to the complexities of aerospace production. During their time at Tata, they contributed to major projects involving global aerospace giants such as Boeing, Sikorsky, and Lockheed Martin.
Now, the duo is channeling that expertise into Jeh Aerospace, a precision manufacturing startup designed to ease supply chain bottlenecks by producing metallic components for aero engines and aerostructures. These components are supplied to Tier 1 partners in the U.S. aerospace sector, including those serving Airbus and Boeing.
“At Tatas, we unlocked India’s potential for these large OEMs—Boeing, Airbus, Sikorsky, and GE [General Electric],” said CEO Sanghavi. “But we wanted Jeh Aerospace to unlock India’s potential for the large Tier 1 and Tier 2 manufacturers in the supply chain.”
Strategic Location and Smart Manufacturing
Headquartered in Atlanta for proximity to U.S. clients, Jeh Aerospace operates a 60,000-square-foot, software-integrated precision manufacturing facility in Hyderabad, India. The company has embedded robotics, IoT, and precision machinery to slash new product introduction times from a typical 15 weeks to just 15 days.
“Our software-defined manufacturing model introduces predictability and real-time scheduling while maintaining quality,” Sanghavi noted.
Series A Boost and Growing Investor Confidence
Jeh Aerospace recently closed a $11 million Series A funding round, led by Elevation Capital and joined by General Catalyst. This brings the startup’s total funding to approximately $15 million. The investment comes shortly after a strategic infusion from IndiGo Ventures, the venture capital arm of India’s largest airline.
Elevation Capital principal Ashray Iyengar praised the company’s approach, stating it has “built a truly differentiated approach to aerospace manufacturing.”
Aiming to Solve Global Supply Chain Delays
According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), global air travel demand rose 10.4% in 2024 compared to the previous year, surpassing pre-pandemic levels by 3.8%. This rebound is driving airlines to expand their fleets, yet the industry continues to wrestle with long lead times and talent shortages.
McKinsey data shows that commercial aircraft backlogs have now reached an all-time high of nearly 15,700 units. Deloitte also confirms ongoing delays at Tier 1 suppliers.
Jeh Aerospace is positioning itself to help alleviate these bottlenecks by targeting Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers—which collectively account for up to 70% of commercial aircraft manufacturing—rather thaIndiGon the OEMs themselves.
Building Deep, High-Value Partnerships
Instead of pursuing a wide customer base, the startup is focusing on a select group of high-value clients. Current customers include GS Precision (Vermont) and RH Aero (Ohio), both of which Sanghavi describes as “high dollar, high ARR customers.”
“Our goal is to have fewer, but more meaningful relationships,” Sanghavi said. “This approach allows us to scale quickly without relying on a large number of accounts.”
Experienced Advisors and Proven Output
Jeh Aerospace has also attracted seasoned industry veterans as advisors, including Pratyush (Prat) Kumar, former president of Boeing India, and Dwaraka Srinivasan, ex-CEO and MD of Airbus India.
The startup has delivered more than 100,000 flight-critical components and tools since its $2.75 million seed round in January 2024. It currently boasts a machine capacity of over 250,000 hours per year.
Financially, the company reached $6 million in annualized recurring revenue (ARR) last year and became profitable after taxes. Sanghavi shared projections of a 3x–4x ARR increase this year, backed by an order book worth $100 million.
Expanding India’s Aerospace Footprint
The new funding will be directed toward enhancing manufacturing and inspection capabilities using next-gen digital production technologies.
Jeh Aerospace also aims to contribute to India’s rise in the aerospace supply chain, similar to the country’s growing presence in electronics manufacturing. Airbus already sources $1.4 billion in components annually from India and is targeting $2 billion by 2030. Boeing has pledged a $1.3 billion annual spend and announced a $200 million investment in an engineering hub in Bengaluru in 2023.
Despite these milestones, India is still developing its domestic aerospace component manufacturing industry. Jeh Aerospace hopes to bridge that gap.
Looking Ahead
While the Indian aerospace startup space remains small—with players like JJG Aero seen as potential peers—Sanghavi believes the real competition lies overseas.
“Our main competitors are U.S.-based tier-2 suppliers,” he said, declining to comment on JJG Aero specifically.
With robust investor support, proven output, and a clear strategy, Jeh Aerospace is betting big on both India’s future in global aviation and the transformative power of smart manufacturing.
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