Bengaluru-based semiconductor startup Nova Spectral AI has raised ₹21.15 crore (approximately $2.25 million) in a seed funding round led by Shastra VC, with participation from Equirus InnovateX Fund and a group of angel investors.
Founded in 2026 by IIT Kanpur alumni Anish Priyadarshi and Sanjeev Kumar, Nova Spectral AI is developing short-wave infrared (SWIR) image sensor chips for defence surveillance, drones, robotics and autonomous systems.
The startup is working on lead-free, indium arsenide (InAs) colloidal quantum dot technology designed to integrate with standard silicon complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) manufacturing processes. Its approach aims to make SWIR imaging more affordable and scalable than conventional sensor technologies.
SWIR imaging enables cameras to capture images in challenging environments, including low-light conditions, haze and smoke. Nova Spectral AI is initially targeting defence intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) applications, with potential uses in autonomous vehicles, industrial systems and other machine-vision applications.
The company plans to use the fresh capital to expand its specialised technical team, advance research and development of its quantum dot sensor technology, and deliver a field-ready hardware prototype within 18 months of the funding announcement.
Nova Spectral AI’s development programme includes quantum dot material research, photodiode development and integration with silicon CMOS wafers. The company aims to develop an alternative to conventional indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) SWIR sensors, which are generally more expensive to manufacture.
