Deepinder Goyal, the CEO of Zomato, has invested $20 million in LAT Aerospace, a new startup co-founded by Surobhi Das, the former Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Zomato, alongside Goyal. According to The Economic Times, Das will lead the company’s operations, while Goyal will take on a non-executive role, focusing on investment and mentorship.
“Both Das and Goyal are founders of the startup. But Goyal’s involvement will be one of making investments and mentoring the startup in a non-executive role,” a source told The Economic Times.
LAT Aerospace is focused on developing low-cost short takeoff and landing (STOL) aircraft with capacities of up to 24 seats, aiming to enhance regional air connectivity.
Funding Round
The company is reportedly in discussions to raise $50 million in seed funding and is actively seeking engineers with expertise in aerodynamics, material sciences, and hybrid propulsion systems.
“The startup is different from air-taxi firms… LAT Aerospace will be looking to build aircrafts that have a range of up to 1,500 km,” one source explained in the report. STOL aircraft are small planes that require shorter runways for takeoff and landing. “These aircraft will take off and land in compact ‘air-stops’ that are no bigger than a parking lot, with no need for complex airport infrastructure,” the source added in the report.
Unlike air taxis, which are designed for short intra-city trips, STOL planes are intended for longer intercity routes. With this approach, LAT Aerospace aims to challenge major aircraft manufacturers like ATR and Bombardier, whose planes are used by Indian airlines such as IndiGo and SpiceJet, a per the report.
Surobhi Das left Zomato in November 2023. During her tenure, she also worked at Blinkit, Zomato’s quick commerce platform, where she focused on expanding markets and adding new categories. She spent over a decade at Zomato, joining in 2011, and had served as Goyal’s chief of staff.
Before her time at Zomato, Das worked as a consultant at Bain & Company, which was also Goyal’s former employer.
