Deep-tech startup Quarkitech has raised Rs 2 crore in a pre-seed funding round from Artha Access, a programme of Artha Venture Fund II, and Finvolve. The Chennai-based startup has also received a Rs 1.5 crore grant from IITM-CDOT Samgnya Technologies Foundation under the National Quantum Mission, a national programme approved by the Union Cabinet in 2023. The funds will be used to develop a core compression algorithm library that reduces sensor data at the source before it is stored, processed or transmitted, Quarkitech said in a press release. Founded in January 2025 by Rajesh Narayanan, Sanyam Parashar, Shashikant SinghKunwar and Vishnu P.K., Quarkitech develops simulation and quantum-inspired algorithmic solvers for large-scale combinatorial optimisation across areas such as finance, deep science and mission-critical applications. The startup’s algorithms can compress sensor data by 10 to 100 times, depending on the sensor type, while retaining information relevant to the application. The company said this can allow platforms to transmit more usable data within existing bandwidth and power constraints without requiring additional hardware or communication infrastructure. Its software library runs on a platform’s existing onboard computer and can be tuned for radar, LiDAR, hyperspectral and electro-optical data streams. The technology can be deployed across UAVs, satellite payloads and ground-segment systems. In laboratory testing, Quarkitech said its technology reduced data volume by 26 times while retaining 98% of mission-critical information in drone-captured images. The company is now working to validate these results under real-world operating conditions, including moving platforms and environments involving heat, vibration, limited onboard power and intermittent connectivity. The technology is targeted at applications where sensor-generated data exceeds available transmission capacity, including UAV and surveillance platforms, satellite earth-observation payloads, radar and LiDAR mapping systems, and ground-segment data processing. The company said the approach can also be applied to other bandwidth-constrained communications and infrastructure use cases. Bareback Media has recently raised funding from a group of investors. Some of the investors may directly or indirectly be involved in a competing business or might be associated with other companies we might write about. This shall, however, not influence our reporting or coverage in any manner whatsoever. You may find a list of our investorshere.
