“Today, most wireless internet technologies such as wifi, 4G, and 5G rely on radio spectrum to transmit data. Our approach is based on the idea that fibre cables already use light to carry data, but inside a physical cable which makes the process faster,” said Deepak Solanki, founder and CEO, Velmenni.
The company claims that their innovation removes the cable entirely and transmits the same light-based signals through the air, enabling high-speed wireless communication without relying on traditional radio frequencies.
“This can help telecom operators roll out networks faster and at a lower cost compared to traditional fibre or spectrum-based solutions. It can be used to support 4G LTE, 5G, and broadband networks,” Deepak added.
The company plans to use the fresh funds to build customised solutions for defence and enterprise customers, and expand into international markets. “We have already deployed India’s first commercial carrier-grade Free Space Optics (FSO) backhaul link to support a private 5G network at a GMR Group thermal power plant in Odisha,” said Solanki.
Other Indian deeptech startups are also building next-generation telecom infrastructure. Bengaluru-based Astrome is developing wireless backhaul systems that deliver fibre-like speeds without the need to lay cables. The company previously raised $10 million in a round led by Apollo Funds, as reported by ET.