Vaeridion

VÆRIDION raises €14 million to roll out its electric Microliner by 2030 and meet the urgent need to decarbonise short-haul flights  

VÆRIDION recently became the first-ever General Aviation manufacturer to complete a Pre-Application Contract with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA)

• Munich-based aircraft manufacturer VÆRIDION is developing a zero-emission electric Microliner that is on track to deliver affordable regional flights in Europe by 2030.
  
  
• The company’s Series A funding round was led by World Fund, Europe’s leading climate VC, with participation from Project A Ventures, Vsquared Ventures, Andreas Kupke, Schwarz Holding, and InnovationQuarter.
  
  
• VÆRIDION is the first e-aviation company to have secured a milestone Pre-Application Contract (PAC) with the EASA – a highly significant achievement that confirms VÆRIDION’s Microliner meets certification standards for commercial passenger aircraft, and puts the company ahead of competitors.
• Founded in 2021 by former Airbus managers Dr. Ivor van Dartel and Dr. Sebastian Seemann, VÆRIDION has already signed its first customers in Denmark, Benelux and Germany and opened a Dutch subsidiary.‍

Munich, December 19, 2024: VÆRIDION, the aviation company developing a market leading e-aircraft for short-haul commercial flights, announced today that it has raised a €14 million Series A funding round in equity financing. The round was led by World Fund, Europe’s leading climate VC, with participation from Project A Ventures, Vsquared Ventures, Andreas Kupke, Schwarz Holding, and InnovationQuarter. VÆRIDION is on a mission to make affordable, zero-emission regional flights an everyday reality.

The founders will use their Series A capital, in addition to research funding of €1.4 million secured from Bavarian and German administrations, to make key hires and expand commercially.  Current cost trajectories indicate that flights will be available for the price of a first-class high-speed rail ticket at commercial launch.  

Aviation demand is expected to more than double to over 8 billion passengers by 2040, growing at an annual average rate of 3.4%. The world urgently needs to deliver solutions to decarbonise the sector, and the regional aviation market represents a huge opportunity. VÆRIDION is making huge advances in aerospace technology. These advances open up a regional air mobility (RAM) market that will only expand as European countries look to reach sustainability targets, development costs decrease, and roads become more congested. In fact, McKinsey predicts the global addressable market for regional flights could reach $115 billion by 2035, representing up to 700 million passengers annually.

Last month VÆRIDION hit the milestone of becoming the first General Aviation company to complete its Pre-Application Contract with the EASA – an achievement that puts it ahead of competitors and on track to offer commercial flights by 2030. The company is now advancing along a predefined certification roadmap in close cooperation with the regulator, well in advance of applying for Type Certification (TC). This setup makes VÆRIDION’s entire certification process more seamless and secure - a major advantage in the sector.

Their patented prototype Microliner will start as a nine-seater aircraft. The Microliner has a nominal range of 400 km plus IFR reserves, has already passed initial functional and validation tests, and has prototype flights set to take off in 2027. The company has plans in place to scale the technology to long-term offer pan-European flights.

The Microliner is a fixed-wing aircraft with advanced battery-wing integration and multi-engine single propeller configuration, all designed for maximum safety and efficiency. It emits less noise than conventional aircraft, making it well-suited to smaller airfields and easy to roll out in underserved areas. Delivered at scale, it would help drive economic growth and accessibility.  Europe is currently nowhere near reaching its sustainable aviation goals, and the Microliner presents a long-term solution.

VÆRIDION is not just a company - it’s a force propelling regional aviation into a new era of electrification

VÆRIDION has already signed its first customers in Denmark (Copenhagen AirTaxi and Copenhagen Helicopter), Benelux (ASL Group) and Germany (Aero-Dienst). The Microliner will initially serve business passengers before expanding into consumer travel.

The company already wields a world-class team made up of 38 aerospace, software and automotive experts, and partnerships with institutions including TU Munich and Bauhaus Luftfahrt e.V. In 2024, VÆRIDION also opened a state-of-the-art battery development facility at the Bosch Collaboration Campus and launched a Dutch subsidiary, which will allow VÆRIDION to leverage the innovation ecosystem surrounding TU Delft and accelerate the journey to commercialisation. VÆRIDION is also exploring applications for the aircraft in air ambulance services in collaboration with Aero-Dienst, which operates a fleet on behalf of ADAC.

Co-founder and CEO of VÆRIDION, Ivor van Dartel, said: “Our new funding will significantly accelerate development efforts, paving the way for certification-conforming prototype flights to take off in 2027, followed by a first commercial flight by 2030. With the Microliner, we are addressing both the need for zero-emission travel alternatives and the demand for enhanced regional connectivity. Our partnerships and market-focused strategy reflect our commitment to not only decarbonising short-haul flights across Europe but also to setting a new standard for sustainable and energy efficient aviation at a competitive price point.”

Daria Saharova, General Partner at World Fund, said: “Aviation demand is expected to more than double by 2040, so we urgently need to decarbonise this sector. VÆRIDION has unique technology, a world-class team, and the support to power the future of aviation. Ivor, Sebastian and their team have already proven market appetite for their market-leading product, and we are thrilled to be supporting them as they scale to deliver zero-emission flights for customers across Europe.”

Uwe Horstmann, General Partner at Project A Ventures, commented: "Investing in electric aviation is not just a step toward sustainable transport; it is a strategic move to secure Europe's technological independence and leadership in the next era of aerospace innovation. By fostering homegrown electric aviation capabilities, we ensure Europe remains at the forefront of green technology, reduces reliance on external powers, and creates a competitive edge in the global aviation market. This is not merely an investment in a company but in the future of Europe's strategic autonomy."

Dr. Herbert Mangesius, General Partner at Vsquared Ventures, said: “With Vaeridion being the first advanced air mobility company to ever win an EASA pre-application contract, this clearly signifies that they are on the best possible path towards commercialization. We are excited to have been supporting Vaeridion from day one and are looking forward to seeing this world-class team conquer the E-Aviation skies.”

Martijn de Blaey, Senior Investment Manager at InnovationQuarter, commented: “By opening a subsidiary in Delft, VÆRIDION joins the Aerospace Delta, a hub of innovation and talent. TU Delft, with its top 3 globally ranked aerospace engineering faculty, provides expertise that complements their Munich headquarters. This strengthens their progress toward zero-emission aviation. Our investment highlights the region’s role in sustainable aviation and our belief in VÆRIDION as a key player to drive that change.”

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About VÆRIDION
VÆRIDION is accelerating the green transformation of aviation with a 100% electric aircraft. The Munich-based startup is developing the Microliner, an electrical conventional take-off and landing (eCTOL) aircraft that will transport up to 9 passengers. Designed for commercial operations under IFR conditions, the Microliner will connect decentralised regions, offering travellers significant time savings at competitive costs. Key innovations include wing-integrated modular batteries and multi-engine, single propeller propulsion systems.Type certification and start of serial production of the Microliner are envisaged by 2030.

About Project A Ventures‍

Project A is one of the leading early-stage tech investors in Europe with offices in Berlin and London. In addition to $1bn assets under management, Project A commands the largest VC platform team in Europe: 100 functional experts exclusively support the portfolio companies in key areas of growth such as software engineering, business intelligence, data engineering, recruiting, sales and marketing. The venture capital firm was founded in 2012 and has backed more than 120 startups. The portfolio includes companies such as Trade Republic, Black Semiconductor, Quantum Systems and sennder.

About Vsquared Ventures

Vsquared Ventures backs bold entrepreneurs engineering groundbreaking technologies addressing some of the world’s most pressing challenges to become global leaders. Investing in deep tech companies, Vsquared Ventures focuses on new space, new computing, energy transition, robotics and manufacturing, new computing and sensing, AI and next-gen software and tech-bio. Vsquared Ventures has built one of Europe’s strongest deep tech portfolios, including industry disruptors Isar Aerospace, IQM Quantum Computing, Zama.ai, Customcells, Neura Robotics and The Exploration Company.