Perplexity’s Aravind Srinivas-backed Astra shuts down, citing market mistrust and internal split

Bengaluru-based AI startup Astra, which branded itself as the “Chief of Staff for every Account Executive,” has shut down operations, less than a year after its founding in 2023. The company’s cofounder and CEO, Supreet Hegde, made the announcement via a LinkedIn post, citing strategic misalignment with cofounder Ranjan Rajagopalan as one of the reasons for the decision.