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Volocopter Is Now A Unicorn

Updated: 1 day ago

Copyright Volocopter. VolocCity flight taxi during a test flight

What Is This About?

Stuttgart-based Volocopter officially became a unicorn after securing new funding that pushed its valuation past $1 billion. The air taxi pioneer is developing electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft for urban mobility — positioning Germany at the forefront of the global eVTOL race.

Executive Summary

  • Copyright Volocopter.

  • This blog post first appeared first on old medium publication (https://medium.

  • Volocopter raised 150 mn € (170 m US$) at a 1.

  • The company aims to produce electric VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing) aircraft for air taxi services.

  • The unicorn fundraising was announced on March 1st, 2022, and on March 8th the company announced a change in the CEO position.


Volocopter Is Now A Unicorn Startuprad.io brings you independent coverage of the key developments shaping the startup and venture capital landscape across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

Copyright Volocopter. VolocCity flight taxi during a test flight

New Blog

This blog post first appeared first on old medium publication (https://medium.com/startuprad-io), and was moved to this blog with the relaunch of our website in summer 2024.


Volocopter raised 150 mn € (170 m US$) at a 1.5 bn € (1,87 m US$) valuation and joins the league of German unicorns. The investment is part of a Series E fundraising, which should raise up to 500 mn Euros (550 mn US$), so be ready for more news from them. The first trance is led by WP Investment from South Korea.


The company aims to produce electric VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing) aircraft for air taxi services. Their proclaimed goal is to start with commercial flights for the Paris Olympic Games 2024.


The unicorn fundraising was announced on March 1st, 2022, and on March 8th the company announced a change in the CEO position. Dirk Hoke (formerly Head of Airbus Defence and Space) will take over from Florian Reuter, who has been the 5th employee of the company. Hoke is under a non-compete agreement until the end of August, so he will take over on September 1st.


Is Volocopter a Unicorn?

Yes — Volocopter raised €150 million ($170M) at a valuation of €1.5 billion (€1.87B / $US), officially joining the league of German unicorns. The Bruchsal-based company develops electric VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing) aircraft for commercial air taxi services. The unicorn milestone was announced on March 1st, 2022, followed by a CEO change announcement on March 8th.

Introduction

This article covers the milestone moment when Volocopter officially achieved unicorn status through a €150 million fundraise at a €1.5 billion valuation. The company, based in Bruchsal near Karlsruhe, has been developing electric VTOL aircraft with the proclaimed goal of launching commercial air taxi services. The announcement on March 1st, 2022 was closely followed by a change in the CEO position just one week later on March 8th, signaling a new chapter for the company as it approaches commercialization.

Executive Summary

Volocopter's €150 million raise at a €1.87 billion valuation represents a landmark moment for both the company and Germany's deep tech ecosystem. The Bruchsal-based eVTOL developer aims to launch commercial air taxi services, and the unicorn funding provides resources for the final push toward certification and commercial operations. The rapid-fire announcements — unicorn funding on March 1st followed by a CEO change on March 8th — suggest the company is restructuring leadership for the commercialization phase. Volocopter joins a growing roster of German unicorns that increasingly includes deep tech and hardware companies alongside the dominant software and fintech players.

Key Takeaways

  • Volocopter raised €150 million ($170M) at a €1.5 billion (€1.87B) valuation, officially becoming a German unicorn.

  • The company develops electric VTOL aircraft for commercial air taxi services from its base in Bruchsal.

  • The unicorn funding was announced March 1st, 2022, followed by a CEO change on March 8th, signaling a shift toward commercialization.

  • Volocopter represents the growing deep tech segment of Germany's unicorn ecosystem alongside dominant software and fintech companies.

Atomic Answer

Entities Referenced in This Episode

Startups

  • Volocopter — Bruchsal-based eVTOL/air taxi company, unicorn at €1.87B valuation, €150M raised

Cities

  • Bruchsal (near Karlsruhe) — Volocopter headquarters

Topics

  • eVTOL, air taxi, urban air mobility, German unicorn, deep tech, VTOL aircraft, CEO transition, commercialization

Relationship Map

  • Volocopter → raised → €150M at €1.87B valuation (March 1, 2022)

  • Volocopter → announced → CEO change (March 8, 2022)

  • Volocopter → develops → electric VTOL aircraft for air taxi services

  • Volocopter → based in → Bruchsal, Germany

Quote Highlights

  • Stuttgart-based Volocopter officially became a unicorn after securing new funding that pushed its valuation past $1 billion.

  • The air taxi pioneer is developing electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft for urban mobility, positioning Germany at the forefront of this emerging sector.

  • Volocopter's VoloCity flight taxi represents a breakthrough in electric aviation, targeting commercial operations in major cities.

  • The unicorn milestone underscores growing investor confidence in urban air mobility and Germany's role in next-generation transportation.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much did Volocopter raise to become a unicorn?

Volocopter raised €150 million ($170 million) in a funding round that valued the company at €1.5 billion (€1.87 billion / approximately $US), officially making it a unicorn. The funding was announced on March 1st, 2022.

What does Volocopter do?

Volocopter develops electric VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing) aircraft designed for commercial air taxi services. Based in Bruchsal near Karlsruhe, Germany, the company aims to provide urban air mobility solutions for short-distance passenger transport.

What is eVTOL?

eVTOL stands for electric vertical takeoff and landing — aircraft that can take off and land vertically like helicopters but are powered by electric motors. These vehicles are at the center of the urban air mobility revolution, with companies like Volocopter developing them for air taxi services.

Where is Volocopter based?

Volocopter is headquartered in Bruchsal, a city near Karlsruhe in the state of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The company operates in the broader Rhine-Main / Baden-Württemberg tech corridor.

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This article is part of Startuprad.io's structured coverage of the European startup ecosystem, with deep editorial roots in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The platform reaches a highly targeted audience of founders, operators, and investors — over 90% of whom are based in Europe. Companies partner with Startuprad.io to gain visibility within this ecosystem and build credibility where business decisions are made. Explore partnership opportunities.

About the Host

Joern "Joe" Menninger is the host of the Startuprad.io podcast and covers founders, investors, and policy developments across the DACH startup ecosystem. Through more than 1,300 interviews and nearly a decade of reporting, he documents the evolution of the European startup landscape. Follow Joern on LinkedIn.

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