A frustrated post on X by a Bengaluru-based start-up founder has once again opened the door for Andhra Pradesh to court start-ups from the city.

Kshitij Khandelwal, founder of Pixxel — one of the most prominent space-tech start-ups based in Bengaluru — wrote on X that trying to secure land for setting up a satellite factory on the city’s outskirts has been far more difficult than making the satellites themselves.

M.B. Patil, Minister for Large and Medium Scale Industries, soon responded to the post, saying his office would be in touch.

Invited to AP

Nara Lokesh, Andhra Pradesh IT Minister, however, didn’t miss the chance to make a pitch.

Reposting Mr. Khandelwal’s post, he invited the start-up’s attention to Anantapur in Andhra Pradesh, which he termed “a new investor-friendly destination on the outskirts of Bengaluru.”

“We’re building space cities, aerospace parks and ready-to-go industrial ecosystems so founders can spend their time building satellites instead of hunting for land,” he added, asking the Andhra Pradesh Economic Development Board to get in touch with the start-up team.

‘Excited to explore’

Responding to the post, Mr. Khandelwal noted that the board had reached out and that the team is excited to explore Anantapur Space City.

Mr. Lokesh has frequently used Bengaluru’s infrastructure shortcomings as an opportunity to pitch Andhra Pradesh as an alternative destination for start-ups.

In September 2025, when BlackBuck CEO Rajesh Yabaji announced plans to move the office out of Outer Ring Road (ORR), citing potholes, dust and commute challenges, Mr. Lokesh suggested relocating the company to Vizag.

Following media reports that more companies along ORR are considering moving to north Bengaluru, he seized the opportunity to promote Anantapur — located further north — as a better alternative.

This led to a war of words between him and then Karnataka IT-BT Minister Priyank Kharge, who termed the move “desperate scavenging”.

In July 2025, too, when the Karnataka government dropped plans for land acquisition near the Bengaluru airport following farm protests, the Andhra Pradesh IT Minister made a similar pitch, inviting the aerospace industry to his State and offering “8,000 acres of ready-to-use land (just outside Bengaluru)!”