Munich-based VÆRIDION, an aircraft manufacturer developing a zero-emission electric Microliner, announced on Thursday that it has secured €14M in a 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.
The German company will use the capital, in addition to research funding of €1.4M secured from Bavarian and German administrations, to make key hires and expand commercially.
According to the company, the flights will be available for the price of a first-class high-speed rail ticket at commercial launch, considering the current cost trajectory.
Co-founder and CEO of VÆRIDION, Ivor van Dartel, says, “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.”
VÆRIDION: Developing a zero-emission electric Microliner
Founded in 2021 by former Airbus managers Ivor van Dartel and Dr. Sebastian Seemann, VÆRIDION 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.
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.
The Microliner has a nominal range of 400km plus IFR reserves, has already passed initial functional and validation tests, and has prototype flights set to take off in 2027.
The German company has already signed its first commercial partners 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.
In 2024, VÆRIDION opened a modern battery development facility at the Bosch Collaboration Campus and established a subsidiary in the Netherlands.
This will help VÆRIDION take advantage of the innovation hub at TU Delft and speed up the process of bringing their products to market.
The investor
World Fund is a Europe-focused climate venture capital fund established by Daria Saharova, Danijel Višević, Tim Schumacher, and Craig Douglas.
World Fund is investing in scalable businesses with significant climate performance potential (CPP).
The focus is on the sectors with the greatest need for decarbonisation technologies: energy, buildings, manufacturing, transport, food, agriculture, and land use.
Daria Saharova, General Partner at World Fund, says, “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.”
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