meet the team

Aakash Porwal

Founder & CEO

An entrepreneur, creative, technologist, designer and a dreamer. He has successfully managed to launch two space flight missions to the edge of space. With over 9 years of exposure to the HAB technology, design, business, marketing and systems.

Aakash, 35, has extensively worked for three years on a space diving mission to make Space diving a mainstream sport and to reimagine it at the intersection of space, sports and entertainment. He was a founding team member at a technology company which got acquired, and has previously endeavored into jet charter venture. He perceives Space Aura initiatives through the lens of love for humanity and its beautiful future. A sports person having represented the state and loves music, laughter, animals, and raw beauty of nature.

S Sreenivasan

Technical Systems,
Launch system for world record space jump & U.S. patent holder

Member of the core group involved in designing of the unique launch system (U.S. patent holder) for Alan Eustace’s world record space jump mission. He has over four decades of experience in high performance balloon technology design, fabrication and launch. He has led several large-scale scientific experiments with heavy payloads resulting in several breakthroughs.

Dinesh Kumar

Design & Technical Development,
Former ISRO scientist

Dinesh Kumar with more than 30 years of experience has worked at ISRO and Canada in Technology MNCs. At ISRO he was the original designer of On-Board Computer and CCD Cameras for Indian Remote Sensing Satellites. He has extensive experience in design, development, qualification and deployment of ruggedized products and solutions for industrial, defense and space applications.

R K Manchanda

Balloon Tech System,
Former Chairperson at NBF

More than four decades of experience in high performance balloon design and launch system. Former Lead Scientist and Chairperson at NBF having extensive experience working on complex and large-scale missions.

Ankur Garg

Strategy & Artificial Intelligence

12+ years experience in Tech startups, product, AI, & marketing. Previously a technology company he founded got acquired. He was a founding partner for a billion dollar company. An IIT-B alumni.

Alok Gautam

Space Technologist

Innovator & entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience in AI and technology leadership. His mission is to create Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) robots to accelerate expansion of humanity into space and Mars. As an entrepreneur, he is director in several successful start-up companies across a broad spectrum of industries and disciplines. He has spent four years in the Himalayas to explore the various dimensions of humankind and life. An IIM-A alumni.

Sqn Ldr Shivvum Uppal

Research & Strategic Relations,
Former Indian Air Force Pilot

Former Fighter Pilot in the Indian Air Force. He has tremendous amount of aerospace know-how of more than a decade and enjoys working in the aerospace technical and research aspects. Strategy Leader at Airbus.

Pranil M

Creative Lead

A design entrepreneur. He has a keen eye for human interaction design, technology & user research. He has attended engineering, design, & entrepreneurship programs from reputed institutions including MIT, US. On the side, Pranil works on enhancing offline experiences through tech, sculpts, Augmented Reality & plays the Tabla.

Ayush Gorani

Strategic Partnerships

Ayush has more than 9 years of experience in global partnerships, marketing, and business development. He has founded more than four companies and extensive experience working with global clients and public listed companies.

Ankit Singh

Training & Fitness

13+ years in fitness industry. A performance and sports nutritionist with knowledge about nutrition and body adaptation for astronauts and space passengers. He’s a fitness trainer specializing in high performance and strength training. He’s been amongst the first five in India to get certified from the prestigious IFBB Academy. Also an educational coach to trainers – IHFA , Skill India.

Chinmay Joshi

Global Sales

15+ years experience in Technology across MNCs and startups. Previously, exited a tech company. At Unilever, he led the operations to support $1.25 Bn annual sales. An ISB alumni.

Vipul Vishwakarma

Sr. Mechanical R&D Engineer

A mechanical R&D Engineer by profession and an entrepreneur and space technology enthusiast. Have a vast experience in the design, development, and research of the safety-critical mechanisms for the automotive sector. He has also worked in the healthcare equipment to ensure patient safety through meaningful innovations.

Vikas Jhawar

Commercials & Global Relations

Leadership experience of 20+ years with global business and influential network through ventures across 15 countries. A self made entrepreneur having diverse experiences across multiple industries.

Devanga Borah

Spaceship Designer

An extraordinary transportation designer with a passion for innovative designs, he is an alumnus of the National Institute of Design and approaches the world of mobility with a fresh perspective on future evolution. He leads our spaceship design.