a note from us
- after a traffic-filled trek to the airport, a security check line longer than Disney Land on a holiday weekend, and an hour killed at the gate, you finally make it onto the plane
- “attention passengers, this is your captain speaking
- we apologize, but our takeoff is delayed due to high runway traffic
- for now, we thank you for flying with us and encourage you to sit back, relax, and enjoy the wait” 🤬
- “attention passengers, this is your captain speaking
- just about every flight has its own version of lines, delays, and hassle
- this week’s company may have a solution for a shorter, smoother travel experience
in a sentence
Odys Aviation is an airplane manufacturer building a new aircraft that makes traveling quicker and more efficient
- new aircraft: Odys’ aircrafts take off and land vertically (VTOL), eliminating the need for a runway ↕️
- quicker: the company will utilize small, regional airports and helipads to skip security lines and gate walks
bulleted version: these aircrafts take off and land like helicopters, but get you to and from your destination like planes…
🚁 +🛩 = planeicoptor
the basics
- industry: industrials, aviation 🛩
- headquarters: Long Beach, CA 🏝
- year founded: 2019
- company size: < 25 employees 🧳
- notable investors: Giant Ventures, Countdown Capital, Soma Capital US Dept. of Defense, Starburst Ventures, Y Combinator, Nikhil Goel, Kyle Vogt
- amount raised: $13.8m
due diligence
what we like
-
⏰ time is money: today’s travel headache includes a commute to the airport, early arrival for check-in and security, potential delays, and deplaning
- think about the increased productivity or vacation time we would gain from skipping steps in this process
- ✅ climate friendly: commutes, takeoffs, and landings have huge environmental consequences; skipping out on these steps + running fully electric for the first 200 miles puts these aircrafts ahead
-
an upgrade is needed: not an upgrade to first class, but for the slow-moving aviation industry
- while some improvements have been made (inflight entertainment, better fuel economy, bigger aircrafts), a simpler, faster, greener, and cheaper flying experience is well overdue
potential risks
- 🤝 partner-dependent: their business model relies on partnering with and selling to airline companies, who have dealt with lower sales, frequent consolidation, and high employee turnover
-
no product yet: the aircraft is ready to fly in 2026
- we’ve seen future-forward transportation companies raise big money with no product, leading to valuation turbulence
- 🦺 safer: many consumers fear the safety of small planes; whether their safety should be questioned, Odys will have to convince hesitant consumers to ride their planes
founder profiles
- James Dorris (prev. Virgin Hyperloop)
- Axel Radermacher (prev. Karma Automative)
- Tadeh Avetian (additionally L.A Turbine)
comps
why Odys Aviation: vertical takeoff and landing does have a few players, but Odys is changing the way we utilize airports and travel between local cities 🛫
- we can’t wait to tell our kids about when we had to leave 3 hours early for a 2-hour flight
