Velmenni, a pioneering firm in light-based wireless communication, has successfully raised Rs 30 crore (approximately $3.3 million) in a pre-Series A funding round led by pi Ventures. The round also saw contributions from other investors, including MountTech Growth Fund-Kavachh and Apekso. Based in Delhi, the company had previously secured the same amount during its seed funding round and received Rs 7 crore in grants from the Department of Telecommunications (DCIS, TTDF) and the Ministry of Defence’s flagship iDEX programme. The funds will be directed towards accelerating the commercialisation of its patented Free Space Optics (FSO) and Light Fidelity (Li-Fi) technologies, as well as investing in tailored solutions for strategic defence and enterprise applications while expanding into international markets, as stated in a recent press release.
Highlights
About Velmenni
Founded in 2014 by Deepak Solanki, Velmenni is a deep-tech startup that focuses on wireless communication solutions driven by Li-Fi and Free Space Optics technologies. The company provides secure, high-capacity connectivity for telecommunications, defence, and enterprise networks. Velmenni’s objective is to explore the next advancement in wireless communication by leveraging light.
Innovative Solutions to Data Demand
As the demand for data escalates and impacts the existing radio frequency spectrum, Velmenni offers light and laser-based optical links. This innovative approach eliminates the need for costly spectrum licensing or extensive cable installation while ensuring secure, interference-resistant communication.
High-Speed Connectivity
According to the company’s founder and CEO, Deepak Solanki, Velmenni delivers an all-weather-tested, entirely Made in India product that ensures over 10Gbps of seamless connectivity across distances of 1-25 km. This solution is suitable for both tactical defence setups and dense urban telecom networks, providing a trustworthy, secure, and scalable alternative.
Milestones Achieved
Velmenni announced that it has launched India’s first commercial carrier-grade FSO backhaul links to support a private 5G network at a GMR thermal power plant in Odisha, achieving 99.999% availability for more than 18 months under tropical weather conditions. The firm has also secured a multi-million-dollar contract from the Indian defence sector for its specialised FSO solution, which will be implemented across all Indian submarines to overcome connectivity challenges in harbour environments.
Successful Deployments
The company has reported numerous successful proofs of concept (PoCs) and over 50 live deployments in India, the SEA region, and with Tier-1 mobile network operators in the United States. Its product has received CE certification and is on track to obtain FCC clearance soon.
