Niklas Zennström, co-founder and former CEO of Skype, invested in a German mini-aircraft startup through his venture capital firm Atomico, trying to create a vertical lift like the size of a typical electric car. Private jet.
The startup, called Lilium AviaTIon, is based in Munich, Germany, and has been in existence for two years. On Monday, the company received a total of 10 million euros from Atomico and other investors to develop private electric planes that can be lifted vertically.
Lilium was founded in 2014 by four entrepreneurs. Its vision is to create quiet, light air vehicles. This airborne vehicle will be able to fly at an altitude of 3,000 meters. Lilium plans to test the prototype of this aircraft for the first time early next year.
The Lilium aircraft is expected to reach a distance of 300 kilometers per flight and a top speed of 300 kilometers per hour. Its purpose is to achieve air travel between cities, which will be faster than any mass transit. It will take less than 15 minutes from San Francisco to Palo Alto, and only one hour from Munich, Germany to Frankfurt.
“This is a great example of the founder’s use of advanced technology to solve major problems.†Zengstrom said at the TechCrunch Disrupt conference. He has been on the board of directors of Lilium. “The way we deal with traffic problems has completely failed. The entire city is in traffic jams, and it takes a very long time from the East End of London to the West End of London. Moreover, our city has serious air pollution and high carbon dioxide. Eventually it also led to climate change."
"Of course, there are now electric cars and driverless cars that solve this problem. But to really solve this problem completely and effectively, you have to put your eyes to the sky."
The venture capital firm Atomico was founded in 2006 and has so far raised more than $600 million and invested in a number of startups. In June of this year, Atomico also invested a small amount of money for Lilium, but the specific amount has not been announced. Lilium said it hopes to use its newly acquired funds to develop and grow its talent pool. Its current team includes 35 flight experts and product engineers.
Other companies are also building private jets, but their research and development directions are not the same. “Other companies have adopted the concept of drones and tried to build bigger drones,†says Zengstrom. “But the problem with drones is that their propellers must produce upward lift, and this It will consume a lot of power. Relatively speaking, the Lilium aircraft will only take off by the thrust and then fly by the wing, so it consumes much less energy. It is only one electric car and very energy efficient."
Lilium claims that its aircraft will be quieter than helicopters and other aircraft and will require less infrastructure.
Skype Skype co-founder Niklas Zengstrom
Lilium CEO Daniel Wiegand said in a statement: "When we founded Lilium, we had a very simple goal: to design the best transportation in the 21st century. Our technology It can double the radius of life of people, protect our environment, avoid traffic jams, and reduce transportation infrastructure costs."
“Private take-off and landing private jets are the dream of generations. It is the ultimate vehicle. We work with Atomico to create the VTOL Lilium Jet aircraft to help realize everyone's dreams.â€
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