Electra.aero has been awarded a Commonwealth Commercialization Fund (CCF) grant by the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC). VIPC's CCF programmes have distributed more than $47 million to Virginia-based startups, entrepreneurs and university-based inventors since 2012.

Based in Manassas, Virginia, Electra.aero is a next-generation aerospace company with a mission to help decarbonise aviation and open new air transportation markets with its hybrid-electric short take off and landing (eSTOL) aircraft. This CCF grant will be used to perform a rolling, powered wind tunnel test that will help validate the aircraft performance before first flight.

“We are deeply thankful to VIPC for its support,” says Dr John Langford, founder and CEO of Electra.aero. “Our company was proudly founded in Virginia, and we intend to continue building our innovative eSTOL aircraft here on home turf.”

“We are pleased to award a CCF grant to Electra.aero,” adds Jeanette Townsend, VIPC's director for private sector grants. “VIPC's CCF grant programme plays an important role in getting funding to early-stage Virginia-based startups when they need it most. Our goal is to help Virginia companies grow and lead the nation in innovation, opportunity and job creation. By combining deep expertise in electric flight with sustainable aircraft technology and design, Electra.aero is laying the groundwork for convenient net-zero aviation.”

CCF accepts applications and awards funding on a rolling basis to Virginia's small businesses and university-based innovators. This competitive grant programme seeks to fund high-potential Virginia-based for-profit technology companies at the early stage of commercialisation. The grants support early technology and market validation efforts such as business model validation, development of prototypes or a minimum viable product (MVP), customer pilots and intellectual property protection.