Candela is a Swedish technology company that designs and manufactures electric hydrofoil boats, outperforming traditional fossil-fuel vessels in speed, range, efficiency, and sustainability.[1][2][3] It develops core components in-house—including electric motors (C-Pod), sensors, software, hardware, and the actively stabilized C-FOIL system—using full carbon fiber construction for lightweight, long-lasting vessels that fly above the water to minimize friction and energy use.[1][2] Serving operators, passengers, ferry services, and urban transport providers, Candela solves the problem of high operational costs and emissions in marine travel by enabling silent, zero-emission boats that use up to 80% less energy, with models like the P-12 ferry targeting public waterways.[1][2]
The company has achieved strong growth momentum, expanding from a 2014 startup to a global team of over 200 engineers from 20+ nationalities, launching commercially available craft like the C-7 and scaling to ferries for sustainable fleets.[2][3]
Candela was founded in 2014 in Lidingö, Sweden, by Gustav Hasselskog, who challenged the status quo by asking why electric boats couldn't surpass fossil-fuel ones in performance.[1][2][3] Hasselskog assembled a team of experts in hydrodynamics, control theory, machine learning, and structural engineering to revive hydrofoil technology—decades old—with modern active stabilization.[1][2]
The pivotal breakthrough came after five years of R&D: perfecting the computer-controlled sensor suite, hardware, and software to stabilize inherently unstable hydrofoils, enabling the "magical" first flight of the C-7 prototype.[2] Early traction built from this innovation, growing into a mission-driven company rethinking marine mobility for fossil fuel-free waters.[2]
Candela rides the global shift to electrification and decarbonization in maritime transport, where urban waterways and lakes demand quiet, efficient alternatives to polluting diesel fleets amid tightening emissions regulations.[1][2] Timing aligns with advances in batteries, AI-driven controls, and aerospace-inspired materials, making high-performance electric hydrofoils viable now—outpacing incremental EV boat upgrades.[1]
Market forces like rising fuel costs, public demand for green mobility, and city reimaginings of waterfronts favor Candela, positioning it to influence ecosystem-wide adoption: ferry operators can electrify routes profitably, spurring infrastructure for sustainable public transport and reducing ocean/lake pollution.[2]
Candela is primed to scale ferry deployments like the P-12, targeting urban operators and expanding to larger vessels for coastal routes, fueled by its tech edge in efficiency.[2] Trends in AI stabilization, lighter composites, and denser batteries will extend ranges further, while regulatory pushes for net-zero shipping amplify demand. Its influence may evolve from niche innovator to marine electrification standard-setter, redefining water mobility as effortlessly sustainable as air travel—proving electric boats aren't just viable, but superior.[1][2]
Candela has raised $96.0M in total across 5 funding rounds.
Candela's investors include EQT Ventures, Chris Anderson, Next Play Ventures, Michael Ryan Dubin, Peter Hunn.
Candela has raised $96.0M across 5 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $8.0M Venture Round in August 2025.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 1, 2025 | $8.0M Venture Round | EQT Ventures, Chris Anderson | |
| Nov 1, 2024 | $14.0M Series C | EQT Ventures, Chris Anderson | |
| Mar 1, 2024 | $27.0M Series C | EQT Ventures, Chris Anderson | |
| Mar 1, 2023 | $20.0M Venture Round | EQT Ventures, Chris Anderson | |
| Dec 1, 2021 | $27.0M Series A | EQT Ventures, Next Play Ventures, Chris Anderson, Michael Ryan Dubin, Peter Hunn |
