Srinath Ravichandran: From Wall Street to Rocket Street – by Ritwaj Ranjan, Space News Contributor – India, Interplanetary.tv – Video credit: Best Place To Build interviewed Srinath Ravichandran, Co-Founder & CEO, AgniKul Cosmos in its episode 20 entitled “Is Rocket Science Really That Hard?” 

Srinath Ravichandran’s journey is anything but conventional. An aerospace engineer by training, he initially ventured into the world of finance, working on Wall Street for several years. However, his passion for space never faded. In 2017, Srinath co-founded Agnikul Cosmos alongside Moin SPM, combining his engineering roots with business insight to address a growing global need: flexible, affordable, and on-demand access to space.

Agnikul Cosmos: Made in India, Made for the World.
Incubated at IIT Madras, Agnikul Cosmos is an Indian aerospace startup developing modular, customizable launch vehicles designed to deliver small satellites into low Earth orbit (LEO). Unlike traditional rocket systems that are built for larger payloads and fixed orbits, Agnikul’s approach is personalized. Their flagship rocket, Agnibaan, is a two-stage launch vehicle capable of carrying up to 100 kg to LEO, with the added advantage of orbital flexibility. What makes Agnikul different is its deep focus on technology miniaturization and modularity. Agnibaan’s engines are designed to be manufactured quickly using additive manufacturing (3D printing), allowing each launch vehicle to be tailored to the customer’s unique requirements. This drastically reduces both time-to-launch and mission costs.

The Agnilet Breakthrough.
One of Agnikul’s defining innovations is Agnilet, a single-piece, fully 3D-printed rocket engine that was successfully test-fired in 2021. Agnilet has no assembled parts—an engineering feat that drastically simplifies the manufacturing process and increases reliability. This makes Agnikul the first company in the world to build and test such a fully integrated rocket engine, right from its Chennai-based facility. 

Agnikul Cosmos’s milestones:

AgniKul Cosmos is an Indian private aerospace manufacturer and commercial launch service provider founded in 2017 by Srinath Ravichandran, Moin SPM, Satyanarayanan Chakravarthy, and Janardhana Raju. The company aims to develop and launch small-lift launch vehicles, notably the Agnibaan rocket, capable of placing payloads up to 100 kg into orbit. The company has achieved several milestones in its history, including raising ₹23.4 crore in pre-Series A funding by March 2020, successfully test-firing Agnilet, the world’s first single-piece 3D-printed semi-cryogenic rocket engine, and raising $11 million in Series A funding. In November 2022, the company purchased its first Flight Termination System from ISRO and inaugurated India’s first private launchpad “Dhanush” at Satish Dhawan Space Centre. In May 2024, AgniKul successfully launched Agnibaan SOrTeD from ALP-01, India’s first private launchpad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre. The company employs over 200 engineers and scientists, including former ISRO experts, and operates a dedicated 3D printing facility certified to aerospace standards at IIT Madras Research Park. AgniKul aims to offer rapid launch turnaround times and competitive pricing 20-25% lower than SpaceX for comparable small payload launches.

 

Backed by ISRO and IN-SPACe
Agnikul made history in 2022 by becoming the first private company to sign a framework agreement with ISRO and IN-SPACe for access to launchpads, testing facilities, and technical guidance. These partnerships have given Agnikul a strong foundation to develop, test, and prepare for India-based orbital launches—something that was previously exclusive to government agencies.

India’s First Private Launchpad
In a historic move, Agnikul established India’s first privately built launchpad and mission control center at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. Designed in collaboration with ISRO, this private facility demonstrates the growing trust between the public and private sectors in India’s space mission.

The Road Ahead
With its maiden launch expected soon, Agnikul Cosmos is poised to become a key player in the global small satellite launch market. Under Srinath’s leadership, the company is not just building rockets—it’s building an entirely new space economy from Indian soil. Agnikul Cosmos represents the spirit of “Make in India” taken to space. With revolutionary technology, strategic partnerships, and a visionary founder in Srinath Ravichandran, the startup is blazing a new trail—proving that even from a university lab in Chennai, it’s possible to shoot for the stars. 

— Ritwaj Ranjan.

About the Author.

Ritwaj Ranjan is a full-stack web and mobile applications software engineer from Bangalore, India, and, space news contributor to Interplanetary Television. With a strong foundation in frontend and backend development technologies, he has worked at Othor.ai and Bhopal. He has designed and deployed over 20 user-centric interfaces with React.js, resulting in a 30% increase in customer satisfaction scores. Ranjan has also led a team in website development, resulting in a 40% increase in client customization efficiency.