Technology now defines the modern battlefield. The rapid evolution of unmanned systems, AI-powered intelligence, and cross-domain combat capabilities is reshaping how wars are fought and deterred. Around the world, nations are recognizing this transformation and seeking greater self-sufficiency in defense innovation, manufacturing, and supply chains.
At General Catalyst, we invest in companies that are building global resilience, modernizing our critical industries to meet the challenges of our evolving landscape. By integrating transformational technologies into national defense strategies, we aim to redefine the modern battlefield, minimize human risk, and support mission-driven companies building the future of national security with deterrence at their core.
We have backed transformational defense companies like Anduril in the U.S. and Helsing in Europe. Today, we’re proud to extend our commitment to India, leading Raphe mPhibr’s $100M funding round, backing a next-generation Indian defense and aircraft manufacturing company building advanced platforms in partnership with the Indian Armed Forces. Raphe aims to revolutionize unmanned aerial systems and aspires to become India’s leading vertically integrated defense innovation and manufacturing company.
India’s Strategic Inflection Point
We have long believed in India’s strategic importance at the fulcrum of global competition. This marks our largest investment in India’s defense ecosystem, a critical part of our broader commitment to building Indian resilience.
The Government of India has advanced a bold vision to reshape its defense landscape: accelerating modernization, expanding strategic investments, and forging strong public-private partnerships to create a robust domestic ecosystem. With roughly a quarter of its annual defense budget earmarked for capital expenditures, the country is investing heavily in both hardware and software innovation. This strategic clarity presents a generational opportunity to support India’s growth.
A National-Scale Partner
We believe Raphe is a key partner in this modernization effort. Their state-of-the-art facility in Noida not only produces world-class systems, it is a leading research, development, and testing center. Designed to meet India’s multifaceted strategic needs, we think Raphe is poised not just to support operational excellence today but to drive readiness in the future. Raphe is initially focused on revolutionizing unmanned aviation across a wide array of use cases and will expand further from there.
“At Raphe mPhibr, we are committed to reimagining defense in India through the power of deep engineering. Our partnership with General Catalyst is rooted in a shared sense of purpose: to build national resilience through technology. GC’s global platform, strategic intent, and belief in mission-driven innovation make them an ideal long-term partner. We couldn’t be more excited about working together to build a world-class defense company from India.” -Vivek Mishra, Co-Founder and CEO at Raphe mPhibr
Backing Mission-Driven Innovators
Investing in global resilience means investing in mission. We have consistently been impressed by co-founders Vikash Mishra and Vivek Mishra’s commitment to delivering value at national scale. Since their early days as technical researchers, they have been driven by a clear mission to support India’s innovation and defense ecosystems, focusing not just on R&D excellence but on translating those advancements into products built at scale.
We are honored to partner with the Raphe team as they seek to deliver next-generation capabilities that bolster India’s national security and shape a more resilient world.
