Agnikul and NeevCloud Sign Agreement to launch space-based AI data center

February 12, National: Agnikul Cosmos, India’s leading private end-to-end space transportation company, has announced that it can host space-based AI data centers for its customers using its existing extendable upper stage. In its first commercial agreement of this kind, Agnikul will launch an orbit-based AI data center module developed by NeevCloud, India’s deep-tech and AI SuperCloud platform, into space. NeevCloud will deploy its space based AI data center and run real-time AI inference applications on this patented platform designed and developed by Agnikul.

NeevCloud is among the first enterprises testing AI inference and cloud workloads on Agnikul’s patented extendable upper-stage platforms in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). This collaboration opens up a new revenue stream for Agnikul through launch and on-orbit services, removing the need for customers to design or deploy satellites. This approach helps overcome the latency limitations of terrestrial data centers, enabling real-time AI inferencing across regions that remain underserved by ground-based infrastructure.

Agnikul targets a fleet of assets in orbit with AI stacks that form modular Space Data Center Modules (SDCMs). The alliance acts as a key enabler block for NeevCloud AI Supercloud scaling roadmap, allowing it to expand its network to 600+ orbital edge data centers over the next three years. This constellation will serve as a continuous, real-time AI inferencing capability that will offload heavy compute tasks from terrestrial devices to AI chips in space.

“As with all rockets, with more launches, we naturally leave behind upper stages in orbit,” said Srinath Ravichandran, Co-founder and CEO of Agnikul Cosmos. “Our convertible upper-stage technology lets these stages stay active and functional, turning them into usable assets that can host hardware and software in space including compute or data capabilities. That’s the next step for a space transportation company - you build, launch, recover, and then extend into orbit.”

"We are not just building a data center in space, we are building an entirely new layer of orbital inferencing infrastructure," said Narendra Sen, Founder & CEO of NeevCloud. "To truly democratize AI, we must decouple it from terrestrial limitations. By partnering with Agnikul, we are taking our AI SuperCloud to the ultimate orbit edge - Space. This partnership ensures access to the AI infrastructure that powers the next decade of global intelligence, low-latency AI not just to our cities, but to every village and border post, AI for all.

“This collaboration validates our assessment that enterprises are ready for a more commercially viable way to access space infrastructure,” said Moin SPM, Co-founder and COO of Agnikul Cosmos. “Lower upfront costs for launch and platform, plus flexible rental or data services, create predictable scaling economics across the full space lifecycle.”

While Agnikul’s rockets - Agnibaan feature boosters capable of returning to Earth, the company is using its already-patented convertible upper-stage, originally designed as part of its launch architecture, as a long-lived orbital platform capable of hosting AI and data compute workloads. 

Over the past few years, Agnikul has transitioned from technology validation to gearing up for repeatable commercial launch operations. The company has successfully designed and flown key rocket systems, while establishing mobile launch infrastructure, mission control, and ground stations developed entirely in-house. These capabilities now support reliable, high-frequency launch missions. Building on this operational foundation, Agnikul is extending its vertically integrated launch stack to include orbital compute hosting platforms. 

By combining NeevCloud’s deep tech expertise and sovereign AI architecture with Agnikul’s orbital launch capabilities, the alliance aims to bridge the global AI access gap. The initiative will place high-performance AI inference nodes directly into Low Earth Orbit (LEO), enabling secure, Ultra low-latency intelligence for billions of users and critical industries worldwide.

The first pilot is scheduled for launch before the end of this year. Following successful validation, NeevCloud will scale the network of 600+ Orbital edge data centers over the next three years. 

Strategic Impact & Market Leadership

By aligning their expertise, both entities streamline the path from computational design to physical launch. Some advantages are -

• The collaboration positions India at the intersection of two explosive markets- the $255 billion global AI inference market, growing at a CAGR of 19.2% and the emerging orbital data center and space-compute economy.
• Sovereignty & Security: Critical AI workloads for defense and finance can be processed in orbit under Indian sovereign control, mitigating geopolitical data risks.
• Cost Efficiency: By utilizing Agnikul Agnibaan’s reusable upper stages, this partnership will help reduce cost, lowering the capital expenditure for orbital deployment.
• Sustainability: Extending the spent upper stages of rockets reduces potential space debris while maximizing the utility of every launch. Additionally, power from solar can help address the power consumption for the data center.

About Agnikul Cosmos

Agnikul Cosmos Private Limited, based in Chennai, India, is an IIT Madras incubated company that builds space transportation. The company is currently developing launch vehicles, called Agnibaan, which will be capable of carrying small satellites to orbit on demand. Agnikul successfully completed its maiden launch last year from its own private launchpad - which happens to be India’s first private launchpad. The launch was unique because it was a 6-axis controlled ascent flight which flew with a single piece 3d printed engines that were designed and manufactured inhouse and also used inhouse autopilot algorithms to track a predefined trajectory. 

For more information, visit https://agnikul.in

About NeevCloud

NeevCloud AI Supercloud is enabling high-performance computing accessible, affordable, and sovereign. NeevCloud provides full-stack end-to-end AI infrastructure enabling enterprises and governments with Private AI and control on the data and compute. Our sovereign infrastructure powers a diverse range of critical use cases across the nation’s most vital sectors ranging from BFSI, Healthcare, Automotive, Startups and Research. With a vision to democratize AI for the next billion users, NeevCloud delivers compute costs 40-60% lower than global hyperscalers, ensuring that India remains a global powerhouse in the AI revolution.
www.neevcloud.com