AirFi takes flight with €1.3M investment for onboard WiFi

Talk about a cloud-based solution. MI Group has secured a €1.3 Million investment to further develop AirFi, their successful onboard WiFi solution for airlines. The investment comes from Mainport Innovation Fund II, which consists of powerful aviation partners like KLM Airlines and Schiphol Group. The €1.3 Million is part of a third financing round of €7.5 Million that AirFi is currently trying to establish. Another €5 Million in listed bonds should be finalised by the middle of the month.

Connected Crew

MI Group first took off in 2010 with their digital information solution MI Airline. Their Connected Crew service increased onboard sales and crew productivity by connecting tablets of crewmembers. The success of Connected Crew then led to the development of AirFi, an onboard WiFi solution for passengers.

Widest used Wifi solution in the skies

The key to AirFi’s success is that their onboard Wifi solution comes in a little box that weighs less than a kilo. This obviously makes the lightweight device very appealing to airlines as opposed to the heavy built-in systems that take up valuable weight. In just a few years’ time AirFi has become the widest used portable onboard WiFi solution in the aviation industry. More than 150 aircraft already have the tiny white devices on board. Besides KLM and its low-cost division Transavia, some other airlines which are using AirFi already are Estonian Air, Adria Airways, Arkefly and Corendon.

Next destination: South America

MI Group aims to apply the funds raised to facilitate the further growth of Airfi. The cabin innovator specifically has its sights set on strengthening its position in Asia and on making a smooth landing in the South American market next. The company is well on its way to its destination, which is to remain the consistent market leader and innovation leader in their industry.

Clear skies ahead

As far as MI Group CEO Job Heimerikx is concerned, the sky is the limit from here on:

“With the refinancing of the MI group coming to a conclusion we are ready to bring the entire group to the next level in the airlines industry, creating the capability to provide our customers the best service and innovations they need, competing the incumbent big players as the “Uber” in our industry”.

In the near future airplanes may not just come equipped with a black box, but also with a little white box. One with the AirFi logo on it.