Zoho’s Sridhar Vembu Invests in Homegrown Drone Startup Yali Aerospace

Global technology giant Zoho Corp has announced an investment in Tamil Nadu-based drone startup Yali Aerospace. The startup, which focuses on delivering medical supplies to hospitals in remote areas, was founded in 2022 by Dinesh Baluraj and Anugraha.

Yali Aerospace, headquartered in Thanjavur, has set its mission “to deliver easy-to-use technology for civil and military use purposes.” Zoho Corp’s CEO, Sridhar Vembu, expressed his enthusiasm for the investment, stating, “We are happy to announce our investment in Yali Aerospace, a drone startup based in Thanjavur led by the husband-and-wife team of Dinesh Baluraj and Anugraha. They have returned from the Netherlands to their hometown of Thanjavur to start this.”

Vembu highlighted the innovative capabilities of Yali Aerospace, noting, “They have built a fixed-wing drone with vertical take-off and landing, solving the problem of delivering medicines and organs to remote hospitals.” The drones developed by Yali Aerospace boast impressive specifications, including a range of up to 150 km, a payload capacity of 7 kg, and a maximum speed of 155 km per hour.

The startup’s achievements have not gone unnoticed by the Tamil Nadu government. StartupTN, the state’s startup and innovation support agency, extended its congratulations to Yali Aerospace. “Huge congratulations to Yali Aerospace on receiving an investment from the SaaS unicorn Zoho Corporation. Yali Aerospace has made remarkable strides in revolutionising medical supply delivery across India. Their groundbreaking innovation, the Yali Network Bridge, ensures that critical medical supplies reach their destinations in under 20 minutes, even in the most remote areas,” StartupTN said in a social media post.

The Thanjavur-based startup’s success story is a testament to their dedication and innovation, StartupTN added. The investment from Zoho Corp is expected to further propel Yali Aerospace’s mission and technological advancements, contributing significantly to the healthcare delivery system in remote regions of India.