The ePlane Company is a technology company.
The ePlane Company has raised $20.0M across 3 funding rounds.
The ePlane Company has raised $20.0M in total across 3 funding rounds.
The ePlane Company has raised $20.0M in total across 3 funding rounds.
The ePlane Company's investors include Abstract Ventures, Kevin Hartz, Haun Ventures, Liquid 2 Ventures, NFX, Speciale Invest, The Hit Forge, Tiger Global Management, Gokul Rajaram, Kanjun Qiu, Paul Yacoubian, Scott Belsky.
The ePlane Company is a deep-tech startup developing compact electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, primarily the all-electric, zero-emission e200X air taxi, to enable mid-mile urban air mobility and alleviate city congestion and pollution.[1][3] It serves urban commuters, cargo operators, and emergency services with applications in air taxis, air ambulances, and air cargo, targeting a $1+ trillion global urban air mobility (UAM) market by offering 7X faster commutes via vehicles with 160 kmph speed, 110 km range, and payload for 1 pilot + 2 passengers or 200 kg cargo.[1][3][5] Incubated at IIT Madras with 140+ experts including 6 PhDs, the company has raised $20M+ in Series B funding, achieved India's first private Design Organisation Approval (DoA) from DGCA for electric aircraft, and is progressing e200X type certification since December 2024, with commercialization eyed for 2027.[1][2][4]
Founded in 2019 as a spin-off from IIT Madras by Prof. Satya Chakravarthy, a professor and head of Aerospace Engineering with a PhD from Georgia Tech who pioneered the world's first electric aircraft course, the idea emerged from a core team of five engineers addressing India's urban mobility challenges.[1][5] Initially informal for nearly two years before incorporation as Ubifly Technologies Pvt. Ltd., early milestones included seed funding in 2020 from Speciale Invest, successful flight tests of the hybrid eVTOL ATVA prototype, and validation of the larger e50 (1/3 scale) prototype's transition maneuvers.[1][2][6] A pivotal 2024 regulatory win made ePlane the first private Indian firm with DGCA DoA for electric aircraft, building on smaller prototypes like e6 (6kg) and e50 (50kg) toward the e200 (200kg) flagship.[1][5]
The ePlane Company rides the global eVTOL/UAM wave, projected at $1+ trillion, by targeting congestion-plagued emerging markets like India where traditional infrastructure lags, with compact designs suiting dense urban vertiports amid favorable tailwinds like falling battery costs and regulatory progress (e.g., DGCA approvals).[1][2][3] Timing aligns with post-2024 certification momentum and India's aviation push, positioning ePlane to lead in Asia's mid-mile segment overlooked by larger Western players. It influences the ecosystem by pioneering Indian deep-tech aviation—via IIT Madras incubation, Prof. Chakravarthy's prior ventures (e.g., AgniKul Cosmos), and cargo/air taxi prototypes—accelerating local adoption and inspiring regulatory frameworks for electric flight.[1][2][5]
ePlane is primed for 2027 commercialization of e200X air taxis post-type certification, with near-term focus on e50 cargo tests, expanded prototypes, and Series B-fueled scaling to tap UAM's explosive growth.[1][2] Trends like AI autonomy, sustainable aviation fuels, and vertiport infrastructure will propel it, potentially evolving from Indian pioneer to emerging-market leader amid global rivals. As urban skies open, ePlane's compact, synergistic eVTOLs could redefine commutes from gridlock to swift flights, fulfilling its IIT-born vision to revolutionize mobility.[1][3]
The ePlane Company has raised $20.0M across 3 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $14.0M Series B in November 2024.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 1, 2024 | $14.0M Series B | Abstract Ventures, Kevin Hartz, Haun Ventures, Liquid 2 Ventures, NFX, Speciale Invest, The Hit Forge, Tiger Global Management, Gokul Rajaram, Kanjun Qiu, Paul Yacoubian, Scott Belsky, Stanley Druckenmiller | |
| Jan 1, 2022 | $5.0M Seed | Abstract Ventures, Kevin Hartz, Haun Ventures, Liquid 2 Ventures, NFX, Speciale Invest, The Hit Forge, Tiger Global Management, Gokul Rajaram, Kanjun Qiu, Paul Yacoubian, Scott Belsky, Stanley Druckenmiller | |
| Dec 1, 2020 | $1.0M Seed | Abstract Ventures, Kevin Hartz, Haun Ventures, Liquid 2 Ventures, NFX, Speciale Invest, The Hit Forge, Tiger Global Management, Gokul Rajaram, Kanjun Qiu, Paul Yacoubian, Scott Belsky, Stanley Druckenmiller |