Gati Drives, a deep-tech startup building next-generation electric motors that deliver BLDC-level efficiency at significantly lower costs without using rare-earth materials, has raised a pre-seed funding round from Campus Fund. This investment will enable the company to accelerate product development, scale up manufacturing capabilities, and build strategic partnerships with leading HVAC and appliance OEMs across India.
Founded by Suyash Mishra and Gajendra Jain, Gati Drives tackles one of India’s most pressing industrial challenges—its heavy reliance on imported and costly BLDC motors. At the same time, more than 90 percent of appliances in the country continue to depend on inefficient induction motor technology that is over a century old. Importantly, both founders bring deep technical expertise from their time as founding engineers at Naxatra Labs and Motorama, where they led the development of rare-earth-free BLDC motors for e-mobility applications.
“Gati Drives represents a breakthrough in a traditionally stagnant industry that has seen little innovation in decades,” said Richa Bajpai, Founder & CEO of Campus Fund. “We’re backing a founding team with rare technical expertise in motor R&D, addressing a massive market opportunity at the intersection of energy efficiency, supply chain independence, and cost innovation. Their SSPM technology offers the efficiency of BLDC motors at near-induction-motor pricing, a combination that no one else has achieved.”
At the core of Gati Drives’ innovation lies its proprietary Slip Synchronous Permanent Magnet (SSPM) motor technology. These motors achieve close to 90 percent efficiency—on par with premium BLDC motors—while remaining 40–50 percent more affordable and fully locally sourced. Moreover, the motors use ferrite magnets manufactured in India along with indigenous RISC-V microcontrollers, thereby eliminating dependence on Chinese rare-earth materials and imported components. Unlike conventional BLDC motors that require full replacement upon damage, SSPM motors allow component-level repairs, making them especially well-suited for cost-sensitive Indian markets.
Meanwhile, India’s sub-1kW motor market presents a substantial growth opportunity, currently valued at $4.7 billion and expanding at an estimated CAGR of 8.5 percent. In particular, the HVAC sector is expected to reach $29.4 billion by 2030, driven by extreme climate conditions, increasing middle-class consumption, and government-led mandates for energy-efficient appliances. Additionally, China’s restrictions on rare-earth exports—covering nearly 90 percent of global supply—have intensified the urgency for Indian manufacturers to adopt domestic alternatives.
“Electric motors have powered the world for over a century, yet manufacturers still face an impossible choice: expensive imported BLDC motors or inefficient induction motors that waste 30-50% of electricity as heat,” said Suyash Mishra, Co-founder and CEO of Gati Drives. “Our SSPM technology breaks this tradeoff. Campus Fund’s backing validates our vision of making India a global hub for advanced motor technology while delivering real energy savings to millions of households.”
Currently, Gati Drives is witnessing strong traction from industry players, with pilot programs already underway with several prominent Indian companies. Going forward, the company will deploy the fresh capital primarily toward scaling manufacturing, expanding its engineering and operations teams, and completing mandatory certifications for commercial rollout. The startup targets pilot production of 1,000–2,000 units per month by early 2026 and plans to subsequently expand into fans, pumps, and eventually electric vehicle motors.
Ultimately, Gati Drives joins Campus Fund’s growing portfolio of student-led startups that are reshaping India’s industrial ecosystem. These ventures stand out for building deep-tech solutions that address foundational market gaps through innovation, local sourcing, and strong engineering-led execution.
