Physical AI vision company Nova Spectral AI raises Rs 21.15 Cr led by Shastra VC

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Physical AI vision company Nova Spectral AI has raised Rs 21.15 crore (about $2.25 million) in a seed funding round led by Shastra VC, with participation from Equirus InnovateX Fund and angel investors.
The proceeds will be used to build a team and develop a field ready prototype within 18 months, the company said in a press release.
Founded this year by Anish Priyadarshi and Sanjeev Kumar, Nova Spectral AI develops lead free colloidal quantum dot (cQD) short wave infrared (SWIR) image sensor chips on standard silicon CMOS for defence intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) and physical AI applications.
The Bengaluru based startup said it is developing an indigenous quantum dot SWIR image sensor chip. The technology enables cameras to capture images in conditions where conventional cameras may struggle, including low light, haze and smoke. It can be used in drones, surveillance systems, robots and autonomous vehicles.
Nova Spectral AI uses CMOS compatible manufacturing processes and indium arsenide (InAs) colloidal quantum dots to develop infrared sensors. The company aims to reduce sensor costs by up to 100 times compared with conventional indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) technology.
In defence, the technology could expand the use of SWIR imaging across drones and ISR platforms while reducing dependence on imported sensors. The company is also targeting applications in smartphones, wearables, robots and automobiles.
Colloidal quantum dot SWIR image sensors built on standard silicon CMOS are being explored as a way to make infrared imaging more affordable and scalable across applications that require vision in challenging conditions.
Another player in the space, SpectraGaze Systems, raised Rs 3.7 crore in seed funding led by GVFL to develop indigenous infrared detectors, optical imaging sensors and electro optical payloads for space and defence applications.

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