London-based Skyports, a global leader in owning and operating vertiport infrastructure and flying electric drones, secured over €103 million to build vertiports and accelerate its drone business. The round was led by the ACS Group, one of the world’s foremost infrastructure and construction companies.
The capital will support key developments on both sides of Skyports’ business. Skyports Infrastructure, which earlier this year announced the signing of a tripartite agreement with the Roads and Transport Authority of Dubai (RTA) and Joby Aviation, will use the funding to build out its vertiports ahead of the launch of air taxi services in Dubai by 2026 and continue to progress other markets. Skyports Drone Services will continue to build on its existing services, including recently launched offshore energy asset deliveries, medical deliveries, linear asset inspections and water quality monitoring services.
In addition to the new capital invested by ACS, existing shareholder, Paris-based airport operator, Groupe ADP will invest additional capital in Skyports’ Series C funding round. Groupe ADP and Skyports first partnered during Skyports’ Series A funding round in 2019. Since then, the two companies have collaborated on notable infrastructure projects to advance the development of vertiport technology and operations, including the first European vertiport testbed in Paris, which was inaugurated in November 2022.
Duncan Walker, CEO and Co-founder of Skyports said: “With ACS backing, we are in the best possible position to advance commercial air taxi and electric drone services around the world.” continuing with “Investment from a world-class transport infrastructure leader serves as an endorsement of Skyports‘ initiatives and underscores the immense potential of the market. Having ACS INFRA as a substantial shareholder in the company, together with their significant cash investment, puts Skyports in a market-leading position, which will allow us to continue growing and enabling new aviation services.”
Nuria Haltiwanger, CEO of IRIDIUM, stated: “We are proud of our new partnership with Skyports, the leader in vertiport development, and the role we will be able to now play in the new and growing Advanced Air Mobility market. We are eager to bring our knowledge of large-scale infrastructure development and construction to help grow Skyports and the overall AAM market. We are looking at how Skyports Drone Services’ expertise will help us to bring further efficiencies to our existing asset management, construction and mining businesses in the Group. This investment in Skyports is a critical step in our strategy of further expansion in new generation infrastructure, particularly in sustainable mobility.”
The investment is the latest in a series of announcements that demonstrate Skyports’ leading market position. The company has previously secured investment from companies across the aviation and infrastructure space, including Irelandia Aviation, Kanematsu, and Deutsche Bahn Digital Ventures.
Read the orginal article: https://www.eu-startups.com/2024/04/london-based-skyports-has-closed-a-funding-round-of-over-103-million-to-build-vertiports-and-accelerate-its-drone-business/
