SkyDrive obtains $55M in Series C funding for ground and flight test of Sd-05 aircraft
Description:
On August 29, 2024, Japanese eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) aircraft maker SkyDrive announced $55 million in Series C funding led by Inventum Ventures, Osaka Metro, Mizuho Bank, and Energy & Environment Investment to ground and flight test its Sd-05 aircraft and prepare its team for mass production. SkyDrive is based in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture, Japan and develops flying cars and cargo drones to accelerate the adoption of vertiports, structures that allow aircraft to take off and land vertically. It is currently collaborating with Osaka Metro, a rapid transit system in the Osaka Metropolitan Area of Japan, to exhibit its eVTOL aircraft and a vertiport at Expo 2025.
Leadership:
Tomohiro Fukuzawa - Chief Executive Officer
Nobuo Kishi - Chief Technology Officer
Takehiro Sato - Chief Strategy Officer, chief Human Resources Officer
Investors:
Inventum Ventures - a cross-border VC investing in tech companies across the US, Japan, India, and Southeast Asia.
Osaka Metro - a major rapid transit system in the Osaka Metropolitan Area of Japan, operated by the Osaka Metro Company, Ltd.
Mizuho Bank - an investment and corporate bank with one of the largest customer bases in Japan.
Energy & Environment Investment - a Japan VC firm focus on the energy and environment sectors.
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