Bengaluru-based startup Alteon has raised $2.5 million in a pre-seed funding round led by Lachy Groom, with participation from Together Fund. The capital will support the development of its autonomous aircraft designed to stay airborne for months without landing, using dynamic-soaring technology. The announcement follows a successful offshore flight test where Alteon's aircraft autonomously flew multiple loops just under a meter above the ocean surface, marking a significant milestone, according to inc42.com.
Founded in 2025 by Samay Sanghvi, who began working on the technology in 2023 without a formal engineering degree, Alteon has grown its team to 20 members. The startup is focused on advancing autonomous dynamic-soaring technology, which enables aircraft to harness wind energy to maintain ultra-long-endurance flights. Alteon plans to scale research and development efforts and deploy fleets of these aircraft over oceans, aiming to overcome the engineering challenge of performing dynamic-soaring maneuvers autonomously close to the moving ocean surface, the company said in a statement.
Alteon's technology aims to disrupt conventional aircraft operations that require landing for refueling and maintenance by enabling persistent flight without traditional propulsion. This approach is inspired by albatrosses, which use wind energy to stay aloft for extended periods. The startup’s progress comes amid growing interest in autonomous and long-endurance aerial vehicles, a sector attracting investments for applications such as environmental monitoring and maritime surveillance. Alteon's $2.5 million pre-seed round adds to early backing from Emergent Ventures and 1517, positioning it among emerging players in autonomous aviation.
The next phase for Alteon involves scaling its R&D and deploying fleets of autonomous aircraft over oceans. The startup's recent offshore flight test demonstrated the capability to perform complex autonomous maneuvers close to the ocean surface. Alteon’s founder, Samay Sanghvi, emphasized the importance of these milestones in advancing ultra-long-endurance flight technology, with the company now focused on commercializing its aircraft for persistent maritime operations, inc42.com reported.