India-based deeptech startup AuraML has secured $1 million in a pre-seed funding round, led by Turbostart with participation from DeVC, GSF Accelerator, Indian Angel Network (IAN), and other investors. The funding will support product development, US market expansion, and enterprise pilots in warehouse automation, industrial robotics, and advanced autonomous systems.
Founded in 2022 by Ayush Sharma and Arjun Gupta, AuraML offers a generative simulation platform tailored for the robotics industry. The company’s mission is to bridge the “sim-to-real” gap by enabling robotics companies to design, test, and deploy their systems with greater speed, accuracy, and cost efficiency.
AuraML’s flagship platform, AuraSIM, transforms text prompts into sensor-rich, physically accurate 3D environments. It simulates real-world conditions for autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) and autonomous forklifts, offering realistic virtual testing that reduces reliance on expensive and time-consuming physical trials.
“At AuraML, we see Robotics and Physical AI as the next great leap for humanity. Our role is to help accelerate these innovations by giving researchers and engineers the tools they need to build better and more intelligent robots,” said Ayush Sharma, Co-founder and CEO of AuraML.
According to the company, AuraSIM helps cut down testing time from 6 months to just 1 week and slashes costs dramatically—from around $500K to a fraction of that, while maintaining safety and real-world applicability. The platform also enables multi-robot deployment testing through scalable cloud-based infrastructure and integrates with existing robotics workflows.
The timing of AuraML’s raise aligns with a renewed focus on India’s deeptech ecosystem, as government and private stakeholders increasingly recognize the importance of long-term innovation over short-term consumer models. Recent policy and funding developments, including partnerships and new venture capital funds targeting deeptech, reflect growing momentum in the space.
With its cutting-edge simulation capabilities, AuraML is positioning itself as a foundational player in the emerging era of robotics and autonomous systems.
