With over 40 years of cross-industry experience, Sai Pattabiram is a trailblazer in innovation, product development, and deep-tech entrepreneurship. A 1981 MBA graduate, Sai’s career journey spans sectors as diverse as Composites, Defense, Steel, Manufacturing, Consumer Durables, and Electronics, with impactful roles both in India and internationally.
His entrepreneurial journey began in 2004, driven by a bold vision to build cutting-edge technologies from the ground up. After overcoming early challenges, Sai founded ZUPPA Geo Navigation Technologies Pvt. Ltd.—now widely recognized as ZUPPA—a company that has carved a niche in the high-tech world of Unmanned Systems and Edge Computing.
Under his leadership, ZUPPA became the only Indian company to develop a proprietary computing architecture, used in advanced applications such as Drone Autopilots, Vision Guidance, and EDGE computing systems—serving both civilian and defense sectors.
Sai has been instrumental in positioning ZUPPA at the forefront of India’s journey to become a ‘Global Drone Hub’, with the company’s flagship innovation—NavGati, its in-house drone autopilot—earning global acclaim for its sophistication and reliability.
An acclaimed thought leader, Sai is also known for his contributions to Drone Cybersecurity, regularly authoring insights and advocating for stronger regulatory and security frameworks within India’s aerial tech landscape. His technical acumen, visionary leadership, and commitment to indigenous innovation have made him a highly respected voice in the Aerospace and Defense ecosystem.
Sai Pattabiram’s story is one of resilience, foresight, and pioneering impact, driving forward the future of autonomous navigation and unmanned systems technology in India and beyond.
