
Ardhan Labs is pioneering the development of India's first hypersonic aircraft, utilizing a hardware-centric and iterative approach that incorporates additive manufacturing, modern computing, and AI. The company focuses on creating advanced propulsion systems and reusable high-speed aircraft to enhance air power and mobility for homeland security. Their innovative solutions aim to redefine aviation with autonomous, hypersonic multi-role aircraft, providing significant technological advancements and capabilities for armed forces, including intelligence gathering and precision strikes.

Ardhan Labs is pioneering the development of India's first hypersonic aircraft, utilizing a hardware-centric and iterative approach that incorporates additive manufacturing, modern computing, and AI. The company focuses on creating advanced propulsion systems and reusable high-speed aircraft to enhance air power and mobility for homeland security. Their innovative solutions aim to redefine aviation with autonomous, hypersonic multi-role aircraft, providing significant technological advancements and capabilities for armed forces, including intelligence gathering and precision strikes.
Ardhan Research Labs (ARL)
is pioneering indigenous turbo-ramjet propulsion technology and hypersonic aerial platforms to transform India's aerospace and defense capabilities. We are developing breakthrough technologies like turbo-ramjet engine, high-speed UAV platform, and dedicated trainers and test beds for high speed aircrafts. To achieve, reusable, hypersonic flight from ground to Mach 5 without external lift-off vehicles.
Opportunity
We are seeking an exceptional Co-Founder & Chief Technology Officer
with investment
who will bring both technical leadership and investment to accelerate our mission. This is a rare opportunity to co-build a deep-tech aerospace company from the ground up, leading the development of technologies that will define India's hypersonic capabilities for decades to come.
What We are Building
We're building critical dual-use technologies that support India's Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative while addressing urgent defense needs in SEAD/DEAD operations, precision strikes, ISR, and force multiplication through attritable platforms.
What You will Lead
Technical Leadership:
One of more of the following domains with Propulsion Systems Development
, Aircraft Design and Development
, and Additive Manufacturing
as being critical.
Cross-System Integration & Interface Ownership:
This is the CTO's most critical function: ensuring that highly specialized, disparate systems communicate and operate synergistically, guaranteeing overall mission success and safety.
Strategic Technical Governance & Scaling:
This function requires the CTO to translate deep technical insight into executive strategy, manage organizational risk, and ensure the company can meet future manufacturing and product goals.
Industrialization & Compliance:
Architect and Govern the large-scale Additive Manufacturing (AM) system workflow from digital twins to final assembly, ensuring high yield (99.9%), cost reduction targets (60%), and AS9100 compliance.
Scalability & Roadmap:
Develop the comprehensive technical roadmap for scaling the entire platform integration and manufacturing process from initial demonstrators to full production aircraft.
Core Domain Mastery & Leadership: T
his function is critical for establishing technical credibility and providing the ultimate, hands-on, deep-dive support when a core system encounters a critical failure or roadblock.
Domain Veto Power & Validation:
Apply decades of hands-on expertise in the core discipline (e.g., Propulsion) to perform high-level design reviews, validate complex algorithms, and serve as the final technical arbiter to resolve intractable problems (e.g., direct the validation strategy for the turbo-ramjet transition algorithms).
Technical Team Leadership:
Recruit, mentor, and lead the technical executive team (Heads of Propulsion, AM, Airframe, and Avionics), fostering a culture of rigorous engineering, innovation, and cross-functional collaboration.
Technical Strategy & Roadmap
Fundraising & Investor Relations
Active participation in all fundraising activities from Pre-seed through Series B rounds
Present technical vision and roadmap to venture capital, strategic investors, and defense funds
Articulate technology differentiation, competitive advantages, and IP moat to investors
Translate complex aerospace engineering into compelling business value propositions
Support due diligence processes with technical data, risk assessments, and milestone planning
Participate in pitch presentations, investor meetings, and board presentations
Help structure technical milestones and development timelines for investment tranches
Provide credibility and technical validation during fundraising processes
Target:
Secure ₹15-25 crore in Seed/Series A within 18-24 months, ₹50-100 crore Series B by Year 3.
Team Development
Infrastructure & Operations
Investment & Fundraising
Value beyond Capitals
We're seeking a partner who brings:
Required Qualifications
Essential Technical Background
Education
: Degree in Aerospace engineering or related field from a recognized institution.
Experience
: 10-15+ years in aerospace propulsion, hypersonic systems, or advanced aircraft development.
Deep Expertise
in one or more areas
Technical Skills
Investment Capability
Highly Desirable
What We Offer
Equity & Upside
Co-Founder Equity
: 10 to 15% stake with standard vesting
Long-term Value
: Building IP portfolio worth hundreds of crores
Protective Provisions
: Standard co-founder protections
Impact & Mission
National Importance
: Enabling India's hypersonic capabilities and defense autonomy
Technology Leadership
: Working on problems that challenge top global aerospace companies
Dual-Use Applications
: Defense platforms that transition to commercial aviation
Team Building
: Assembling India's premier hypersonic propulsion team
Work Environment
Technical Autonomy
: Freedom to make engineering decisions and take calculated risks
Rapid Iteration
: Building at "speed of digital tools" with 12–14-month prototype cycles
Cutting-Edge Facilities
: Access to AstraForge additive manufacturing and testing infrastructure
Collaborative Culture
: Working directly with founder and small, high-caliber team
Why is this the Right Time
Market Timing
Defense Modernization
: India's defense budget increasing with focus on indigenous tech
Hypersonic Race
: Global competition in hypersonic weapons and platforms accelerating
Atmanirbhar Bharat
: Government prioritizing domestic aerospace and defense manufacturing
Dual-Use Opportunity
: Technologies applicable to both defense and emerging civilian supersonic/hypersonic transport
Competitive Position
No Direct Competition
: No other Indian organization developing complete turbo-ramjet systems for reusable platforms
First-Mover Advantage
: Establishing capabilities 5-10 years ahead of potential competitors
Cost Leadership
: AstraForge manufacturing enables 60% cost reduction vs traditional methods
Our Values & Culture
Technical Excellence:
We obsess over getting the physics and engineering right. No shortcuts on safety or performance, but we embrace rapid iteration and learning from failures.
Mission-Driven:
We're building for India's defense autonomy and technological leadership, not just commercial success. Impact and nation-building are core to our identity.
Bias for Action:
We move fast, make decisions with imperfect information, and course-correct quickly. The speed of execution is our competitive advantage.
Transparency & Collaboration:
As co-founders, we'll debate ideas intensely but commit fully once decisions are made. Open communication and mutual respect are non-negotiable.
Long-Term Thinking:
We're building technology and IP that will compound over decades. Short-term setbacks are expected; persistence and resilience are essential.
Contact & Next Steps
Ready to co-build India's hypersonic future?
Primary Contact:
Vaibhav Bhatnagar, Founder
Email: vaibhav@ardhandefence.in