New Delhi, July 4 -- Eyewear retailer Lenskart has invested in mixed-reality headset maker Ajna Lens, while Bengaluru-based Serendipity Space has secured funding to advance drug development in microgravity.

Ajna Lens

Lenskart said on Friday that it has made a strategic investment in deep-tech startup Ajna Lens to build a mixed-reality headset called AjnaXR. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Thane, Mumbai, Ajna Lens is a deep-tech startup developing immersive technologies powered by spatial computing, AI vision, and a XR stack.

The eyewear retailer said it plans to leverage the startup's expertise in frame design and engineering, combined with its technology-first approach, to create Smart Glasses for consumer needs.

"This investment marks the next chapter in our Smart Glass journey, which began with the launch of Phonic, our audio glasses, in December 2024. As the Smart Glasses category scales rapidly, our partnership with Ajna Lens strategically positions us to accelerate product innovation in this space," said Peyush Bansal, co-founder and CEO at Lenskart.

Serendipity Space

Bengaluru-based Serendipity Space, which is developing microgravity-based pharmaceutical manufacturing solutions, has raised an undisclosed amount in a pre-seed round from Campus Fund for drug development in space.

Founded by space and computer scientists Antariksh Parichha (CEO), Jivitesh Debata (CTO), and Monica Ekal, Serendipity Space is helping pharma companies overcome a crucial bottleneck vis-a-vis the inability to produce high-quality protein and drug crystals on earth due to gravity-induced defects. The company has built and tested multiple functional pharmaceutical modules, including two crystallization and one formulation module.

The company says the absence of sedimentation, buoyancy, and convection currents in space enables the production of larger, more uniform protein and drug crystals with improved stability and bioavailability. This could drastically shorten traditional drug development timelines, which typically span 12-15 years.

The startup said the funding will support technical demonstrations to validate the startup's core subsystems, enabling it to offer end-to-end services for pharmaceutical companies.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from VC Circle.