Bengaluru-based startup Alteon, founded by 20-year-old Samay Sanghvi, has raised $2.5 million in a pre-seed funding round led by Lachy Groom. The company aims to develop autonomous aircraft that can stay airborne for extended periods by harnessing energy from ocean winds through a technique known as dynamic soaring.
Alteon's initial focus is on maritime surveillance, utilizing small, fixed-wing aircraft designed to extract energy from wind shear. While the startup has conducted successful test flights, it still needs to demonstrate sustained flight using harvested energy, marking a significant technical challenge ahead.