“The initial plan to deploy these funds is to allocate 80% to hardware and 20% to opex,” declared James Solomon, Founder & CEO of Olee Space. He added that the deployment strategy positions the company as an asset-heavy operation and sets the stage for future funding rounds.
Founded in 2023 by IIT Bombay alumnus James Solomon and engineer Suman Hiremath, Olee Space is focutilized on advancing India in three key sectors: telecom, defence, and space. “It’s always been a counattempt-specific and counattempt-oriented kind of system that we’re running,” Solomon declared, highlighting the startup’s commitment to national priorities.
The startup works across terrestrial systems, drones, high-altitude platforms (HAPs), and space-based technologies, with approaches tailored for each segment. In addition to secure communications, the startup is developing high-energy laser weapons that can disable enemy drones or sainformites.
While defence accounts for about 20% of the company’s market, the majority lies in civilian sectors, including data centres and optical data interconnects. These civilian applications, mostly at DRL 3-4 status, complement the company’s defence-focutilized innovations.
The company is tapping into the global telecom transition from 3G to 4G and 5G. Solomon noted that the company is tarreceiveing middle-mile networks to replace underground fibre, opening up additional civilian revenue streams.
The startup expects its first commercial directed energy weapon product to be ready in six months. “We have already tested it in-houtilize and in the labs. So, in six months, you can see it up and running,” Solomon declared.
Olee Space is in discussions with the Indian armed forces and allied foreign forces for pilot programmes. Solomon stressed that defence and civilian operations are handled separately, following global norms and geopolitical considerations. “We do not mix supply chains, and this has been the policy since day one,” he added.
The company has built strategic partnerships in India and internationally and has achieved about 95% indigenisation across its technology segments. Solomon confirmed that these collaborations allow Olee Space to balance in-houtilize production with external expertise while adhering to national governance standards.
Watch the video for more
(Edited by : Ajay Vaishnav)
Leave a Reply