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The round is led by pi Ventures to accelerate commercialization of patented Free Space Optics solutions for CSPs, Defence, and Enterprise Markets.
New Delhi, India – March 17, 2026: Velmenni, a deep-tech pioneer in light-based wireless communication, today announced a ₹30 crore (approx. USD 3.3Mn) Pre-Series A funding round. The round was led by pi Ventures, with participation from other investors like MountTech Growth Fund-Kavachh and Apekso. Velmenni has developed high-capacity backhaul and alternative last-mile connectivity solutions for 4G-LTE, 5G, and FTTx broadband networks that enable faster rollouts and lower total cost of ownership compared to fiber, licensed spectrum, and millimeter-wave solutions.
The capital will accelerate the commercialization of Velmenni’s patented Free Space Optics (FSO) and Light Fidelity (Li-Fi) solutions. These technologies are designed to bridge the “connectivity gap” for Communication Service Providers (CSPs), Defence, and Enterprise Markets, where traditional fiber and radio waves (RF) fall short. The company will also invest in building customized solutions for strategic defence and enterprise use cases while scaling in international markets.
As surging data demand strains the limited radio frequency spectrum, Velmenni offers light/laser based optical links, bypassing the need for expensive spectrum licensing or cable trenching, while creating secure interference-proof communication.
“Velmenni aims to capture a sweet spot where fiber is too slow to deploy, RF is too interference-prone to trust, and licensed-band communication is too expensive to justify shorter distances,” said Deepak Solanki, Founder and CEO of Velmenni. “With an all-weather tested, 100% Made in India design, we offer 10Gbps+ seamless connectivity across ranges of 1-25km. Whether for a tactical defence setup or a dense urban telecom network, we are providing a reliable, secure, and scalable alternative.”
Following years of rigorous in-house research, Velmenni is positioned ahead of its competitors in gaining market traction. The company has executed multiple successful PoCs, 50+ live deployments, in India, the SEA region, and Tier-1 Mobile Network Operators in the US. Their product has obtained CE certification and will soon get FCC clearance.
The company has deployed India’s first commercial carrier grade FSO backhaul links to enable a private 5G network at a GMR thermal power plant in Odisha, maintaining 99.999% availability for over 18 months in tropical weather conditions. Velmenni has also secured a multi-million-dollar deal from the Indian defence sector for its specialised FSO solution, which will be deployed across all Indian submarines to address connectivity challenges in harbour environments.
Moreover, Velmenni has built a robust intellectual property portfolio with granted international patents and has received institutional backing through grants from the Department of Telecommunications (DCIS, TTDF) and three grants from the Ministry of Defence’s flagship iDEX programme, to deploy its solution for strategic defence applications.
“Velmenni is addressing a hard problem at the intersection of communications and infrastructure,” said Shubham Sandeep, Partner at pi Ventures. “They have demonstrated the ability to translate a new technology into real-world commercial deployments. We believe Velmenni is well-positioned to scale optical wireless communication globally and meet growing worldwide demand for secure, high-capacity connectivity. We are excited to back Deepak and team as they shape the next phase of global connectivity.”
“Velmenni is able to build this state-of-the-art solution with adaptive optics and first-of-its-kind multicarrier adaptive modulation for FSO, ensuring that harsh environmental factors like rain and fog no longer compromise link stability, yet still maintaining the desired availability.” Deepak further adds, “This innovation brings down the total cost of ownership for a CSP, while lowering cost/bit significantly.”
