HAL to make small space rockets with ISRO tech transfer

Daily brief on deep tech and climate tech news from India and around the world.An ISRO SSLV with an Earth Obervation Satellite. Image source ISRO website.Komatsu invests in autonomous mining with AIKomatsu has announced what the Japanese heavy industries giant described as its most significant technology investment, partnering autonomous vehicle software maker Applied Intuition to integrate AI-powered Vehicle OS into its mining fleet, Mining.com reports. This multi-year deal aims to accelerate autonomous vehicle rollout, improve safety and energy efficiency, and address sector challenges like labour shortages and decarbonization. The move marks a major step toward modernizing mining as global pressures and demand for smarter haulage systems rise.Listen to the podcastHesai plans $500M Hong Kong dual listingHesai Group, the world’s largest automotive lidar sensor supplier, is pursuing a dual primary listing in Hong Kong to raise up to $500 million, South China Morning Post reports. The Shanghai-founded firm will offer 17 million shares, targeting both local and global investors. Hesai supplies lidar to major EV and robotics companies, with 28 percent of 2024 revenue from exports to North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific.LeydenJar raises €13M to launch silicon anode factoryDutch battery startup LeydenJar has raised €13 million in equity funding, led by Extantia and Invest-NL, for its Eindhoven PlantOne facility, which will be the world’s first to mass-produce 100 percent silicon anodes for lithium-ion batteries, EU Startups reports. LeydenJar’s technology boosts battery energy density by 50 percent, enables charging under 12 minutes, and slashes CO₂ emissions by 85 percent. The factory, expected operational by 2027, can produce enough material for 5 million smartphone batteries per year.EndureAir raises $2.85M for UAV expansionEndureAir Systems, a Noida-based UAV startup, has raised $2.85 million led by IAN Alpha Fund to enhance its defense-focused aerial robotics and expand into enterprise markets, Entrackr reports. Founded in 2018, EndureAir develops indigenous drones fully in-house and holds eight patents. Its portfolio includes heavy-lift logistics UAVs, long-endurance drones for medical delivery, and nano-UAVs for rescue missions.Aeronero 2.0 debuts scalable air-to-water techAeronero Solutions, in Bengaluru, has launched Aeronero 2.0, its next-gen Air Water Generation (AWG) system featuring its proprietary technology, Condessa, and its Aquair platform, designed for decentralized, climate-resilient water supply, the company said in a press release. The company has 13 patents from its knowhow, and is seeing strong commercial growth, according to the press release. Aeronero says its solution can be scaled from home to industrial capacity, delivering clean, mineral-enriched water.HAL to produce India’s SSLV via landmark ISRO tech transferISRO, NSIL, IN-SPACe, and HAL have signed India’s 100th Technology Transfer Agreement, enabling HAL to absorb and mass-produce the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) for domestic and global markets over a 24-month transition, the government agencies said in a press release. ISRO will provide training, helping HAL shift from component supplier to comprehensive launch provider, strengthening India’s commercial space launch capacity and deep-tech ecosystem. The move aims to significantly increase access to the SSLVs and position India as a global leader in affordable satellite launches.C-CAMP, Nagaland sign MoU for innovative healthcare rolloutIndia’s Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms, C-CAMP, and the Government of Nagaland have signed a strategic MoU to strengthen public healthcare by deploying indigenous health technologies targeting state-specific challenges. The partnership builds on previous COVID-19 interventions and aims to enhance infrastructure, train healthcare workers, and implement innovations in maternal and child health, non-communicable diseases, and other critical areas for equitable, quality care.In ConversationSaurabh Chandra on ‘future factory’ vision in era of physical AIby Hari ArakaliApril 10, 2026Coming up: Saurabh Chandra at Ati Motors on a rendezvous with robotsby Hari ArakaliApril 2, 2026Humanoid robots: which approach will win the race?by Hari ArakaliMarch 19, 2026InsightSpotlight