FutureFlight
Starburst Accelerator Raises New Fund to Back Rising Aerospace Talent
Start-up accelerator Starburst Aerospace is preparing to launch its new Blast program in September to incubate new aviation, defense and space start-ups.
Aviathor
Blast accelerator recruit Aviathor is looking to retrofit existing single-engine piston aircraft with electric propulsion for service entry in 2024. (Image: Starburst)

This year has seen impressive volumes of investment in start-ups seeking to bring new eVTOL aircraft to market. But the money has not flown broadly across the advanced air mobility (AAM) plains. Instead, it has tended to concentrate on a relatively small number of front-runners, like Joby, Archer, Lilium, and Vertical Aerospace, and in many cases via merger-IPO deals with special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs).

It’s become a story that to some looks like it’s heading for a "winner-takes-all" ending with the ‘haves’ landing 10-digit funding and the ‘have-nots’ left wondering how they can possibly fund their brilliant ideas. But SPACs aren’t the only investment path. Germany’s Volocopter is a notable example of an eVTOL pioneer that has secured significant new sources of funding from venture capitalists and other strategic backers.