Skyportz is in a positive mood following its own successful fundraising efforts and recent investment in the sector as a whole. The company has been assembling the pieces of the advanced air mobility puzzle in Australia for the last five years. Its focus is on breaking the nexus between aviation and airports and enabling property owners to activate their sites with vertiports. This emerging industry is due to launch in Dubai and Abu Dhabi with Archer and Joby, who are set to commence operations in the next year or two.

Both developers have found significant investment flowing into the supporting vertiport infrastructure to support operations. Joby's partner, the UK-headquartered Skyports Infrastructure, has recently secured a $110 million investment from ACS Group through its subsidiary Iridium, while Archer has secured a 'multi hundred million dollar investment' from the Abu Dhabi Investment Office to support operational infrastructure.

"These investments in the Middle East into vertiport infrastructure give us a lot of confidence with Skyportz here in Australia that we are on the right track," saysCEO Clem Newton-Brown. "What is clear is that the capital investment has followed the announcement of launch regions for advanced air mobility, and Skyportz is well positioned to capitalise on the opportunity to facilitate this revolution in aviation in Australia when it comes."

Skyportz is currently raising funds to continue its preparatory works in Australia through the Birchal platform and reached its minimum raise last week in 29 minutes after opening.

Melbourne-based airport construction specialist Maz Group has emerged as the lead investor, positioning itself to be at the forefront of this emerging industry. Maz Group has experience in airport terminal construction, hangars and general aviation, with projects including Melbourne airport and Launceston airport, and will be collaborating with Skyportz in vertiport design and construction.

"Maz Group has extensive experience in all aspects of airport building, from hangars to terminals to baggage handling; this is our area of expertise," says managing director Marty Craggill. "We are looking forward to working with Skyportz to develop an entirely new class of building, a vertiport terminal for the emerging electric air taxi industry."

Newton-Brown adds: "At this stage of our business we greatly value investors who can not only provide funds, but also their expertise and experience to help us shape the next stage of our growth. At Skyportz we are developing concepts and designs for something that does not yet exist; the electric air taxi vertiport. The input of the Maz Group as a significant shareholder will greatly enhance our ability to actually build our vertiport network when the time is right."

Skyportz is in discussions with launch markets outside of Australia to license its brand and systems.