Electric aviation companies to watch: Beta Technologies

Beta Technologies has raised $511 million in funding across two rounds from companies including Amazon and Hula.

Burlington, Vermont-based Beta Technologies is an aerospace manufacturer developing electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircrafts for the cargo and logistics industry. Founded in 2017, the company started as CEO Kyle Clark’s senior thesis project in college. He threw himself into learning aircraft design, ultimately landing on the concept Beta is advancing today.

The startup has raised about $450 million, according to a spokesperson, including a $368 million Series A closed in May. It has attracted investments from investors including the Amazon Climate Pledge Fund.

But Beta isn’t just in the business of developing electric aircraft; the company also provides rapid charging stations at airports and is developing a training program with CAE, a Canada-based simulation technologies manufacturer, for electric vertical pilots and maintenance technicians. Clark said Beta has more than 60 rapid charging stations online or in construction from here to Arkansas.

“The future of transportation is electric, and Beta enables it,” Clark told GreenBiz. “We’re building all the elements needed for deployment of electric aircraft — including the aircraft itself as well as a cross-country charging infrastructure that supports all-electric vehicles — eVTOL, trucks, cars — not just our own.”

With its steadfast mission of expanding electric aviation worldwide, Beta built, tested and flew its first eVTOL aircraft, Ava, in under a year. The company took lessons from its flagship aircraft and built Alia, which has a 50-foot wingspan and will be the aircraft Beta takes through FAA certification. Clark said Alia is a “zero operational emissions aircraft” that reduces material waste generated in production and ongoing maintenance, offering a lower impact means of transportation for use cases across the board. greenbiz.com