Lilium is a German aerospace company developing the Lilium Jet, the world's first electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) jet for high-speed regional air mobility with zero operating emissions.[1][2][7] It builds a seven-seat (production version) aircraft powered by 36 ducted electric fans embedded in tilting flaps on canards and main wings, serving urban air mobility operators, airlines, and corporate clients like NetJets, Azul, and ASL Group for intercity trips up to 300 km at speeds of 280-300 km/h.[3][4][6] The jet solves urban congestion and emissions in air travel by enabling five-times-faster travel than cars (e.g., Paris to London), with superior cruise efficiency, the largest eVTOL cabin (3 meters), and a separated pilot cockpit for safety.[1][2][5] Growth momentum includes prototype flights since 2017, full wing transition tests in 2022, a smart factory for serial production, dual EASA/FAA certification pursuit, a $3.3 billion SPAC merger (NASDAQ: LILM), and over $1 billion in orders.[3][5][6][7]
Lilium was co-founded in 2015 in Munich, Germany, by four aerospace engineers and product designers—Daniel Wiegand, Sebastian Born, Patrick Nathen, and one other—from university backgrounds, with Wiegand conceiving the core eVTOL jet concept in 2013.[3][5] The idea emerged from innovating beyond propeller-based designs for efficient forward-flight jets using ducted fans in wings, leading to sub-scale prototypes (Gleiter, Hexa, Dragon, Falcon) and a full-scale unmanned Eagle demonstrator that flew in 2017.[3] Pivotal moments include the five-seat model's first flight in 2019 (100+ flights with transitions to 100 km/h), Phoenix 2's full hover-to-wing-borne transition at 130 km/h in 2022, EIT investment for commercialization, and the 2021 SPAC going public to fund seven-seat production.[1][3][5][6]
Lilium rides the eVTOL and advanced air mobility (AAM) trend, targeting decarbonized regional transport amid urbanization, CO2 reduction mandates, and helicopter inefficiencies.[1][5][7] Timing aligns with maturing battery tech (e.g., Ionblox investment for high-density cells) and regulatory progress via EASA/FAA, positioning it ahead of 2026 service entry despite delays from 2025 targets.[4][5][6] Market forces like $1B+ orders, vertiport networks (e.g., Florida), and SPAC funding favor Lilium's jet design for intercity routes over short-hop drones, influencing ecosystems through supply chain innovations, European leadership, and scaling production to rival traditional aviation.[3][6]
Lilium eyes 2026 commercial entry-into-service with type certification, ramping serial production at its expanded smart factory and launching vertiport-integrated networks for regional routes.[5][6][7] Trends like denser batteries, AI flight controls, and AAM infrastructure will accelerate adoption, though supply chain risks and certification hurdles could delay timelines. Its influence may evolve from pioneer to scale operator, redefining emissions-free air travel and pressuring rivals with jet efficiency—potentially fulfilling the promise of revolutionizing urban-to-regional mobility that began with four students' 2013 sketch.[1][5]
Lilium has raised $341.0M in total across 3 funding rounds.
Lilium's investors include Atomico, Heartcore Capital, Mitsui & Co, True Ventures, XT Hi-Tech, Andrew Nutter.
Lilium has raised $341.0M across 3 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $240.0M Venture Round in March 2020.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 1, 2020 | $240.0M Venture Round | Atomico, Heartcore Capital, Mitsui & Co, True Ventures, XT Hi-Tech, Andrew Nutter | |
| Sep 1, 2017 | $90.0M Series B | Atomico, Heartcore Capital, Mitsui & Co, True Ventures, XT Hi-Tech, Andrew Nutter | |
| Dec 1, 2016 | $11.0M Series A | Atomico, Heartcore Capital, True Ventures, Andrew Nutter |
