Digital Striker, an optical fiber tools and equipment startup, has raised $1 million (about ₹8.5 crore) in a funding round led by Foxhog Ventures. The capital will help the company expand manufacturing in India and scale operations to serve the country’s accelerating telecom and broadband fibre rollout.
Plans for local manufacturing and phased scale-up
Founded in 2021, Digital Striker focuses on specialised tools for optical fiber installation, testing and maintenance, including fiber strippers, cleavers, splicing machines, power meters and visual fault locators—products that have largely been imported until now.
Nearly ₹5–6 crore of the fresh funds will be deployed to establish a domestic manufacturing facility, recruit skilled technicians, and set up offices in key Indian cities. The balance will sustain current import-based operations to ensure uninterrupted supply while the company transitions to local production.
Meeting a critical infrastructure need
India’s telecom infrastructure is undergoing rapid expansion driven by rising broadband demand, data consumption and nationwide fiberisation initiatives. Despite accelerating fibre deployments across urban and rural areas, many of the specialised tools required for installation and upkeep are still sourced from overseas vendors, creating lead-time and cost pressures.
Digital Striker aims to bridge this gap by offering locally manufactured tools complemented by domestic after-sales support. The company expects localisation to reduce procurement delays, lower costs and provide faster maintenance response for telecom operators, contractors and system integrators—aligning with the government’s push for self-reliance in manufacturing.
Market traction and product rollout
In under four years, the startup has built a nationwide distribution network of more than 450 resellers and channel partners and reported a cumulative turnover of ₹8.85 crore over 40 months, signalling growing market acceptance.
Initially, Digital Striker plans to manufacture five to seven core tools domestically, with additional products introduced progressively based on demand and field feedback. This phased approach is intended to control costs while maintaining consistent product quality.
Investor support and future outlook
Foxhog Ventures’ investment underscores investor interest in hardware-focused and deep-tech companies that address India’s infrastructure needs. With global supply-chain uncertainties prompting a search for reliable local alternatives, startups offering domestic manufacturing capabilities are attracting attention from venture capital firms.
Digital Striker intends to use the funding to broaden its product portfolio, bolster manufacturing capacity and deepen engagement with telecom and broadband projects across India, positioning itself as a homegrown supplier in the optical fiber tools segment.
