© Peter Jülich
Wingcopter secures $ 42 million in latest funding round
DRONE LIFE Staff Writer Ian M Crossy
This week, drone shipping company Wingcopter announced that it has raised $ 42 million in Series A expansion rounds, trebling its total stake to more than $ 60 million.
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New in this round include German retailer REWE Group, German investors Salvia and XAI Technology, Japanese conglomerate ITOCHU and former backers Germany’s Future Capital and Silicon Valley-based Xplorer Capital. Shareholders participated.
With new funding, Wingcopter will be able to expand its drone delivery service, meet the recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airworthiness standards, and increase production of the growing demand for Wingcopter 198e VTOL delivery drones. Wingcopter will also use this money to develop new product features and drive the company’s R & D efforts to hire 80 new employees in all departments within the next few months. ..
“At Wingcopter, we create efficient and sustainable drone solutions to save and improve lives. To this end, we employ a passionate pioneer to build things that never existed before. “We do,” said Tom Plümmer, co-founder and CEO. “New funding and increased revenue put us in a good position to establish industry-leading drone delivery solutions with customers around the world to optimize our supply chain.”
“The REWE Group is one of the most innovative companies in the German retail industry,” said Christopherze, a member of the REWE Group’s Digital, Customer & Analytics and IT Board of Directors. “For years, we have relied on strong partnerships with innovation leaders, especially in new trends. We have used Wingcopter to find such new partners.”
“With disruptive technology and an ambitious team, Wingcopter has the potential to become a front runner in drone delivery spaces,” added Helmut Jeggle, founder and managing partner of Salvia. “In the face of global challenges such as climate change, we need innovative companies such as Wingcopter to lead industries such as logistics to a sustainable and more efficient future. As a ring partner, I am happy to be able to accompany this success story. “
Enis Ersü, Managing Owner of XAI Technology and Former CEO of ISRAVISION, said: “The team of XAI Technology, an investor and technology partner, is very excited to create more business potential by integrating advanced key technology and outstanding operational excellence with management. . “
Wingcopter has recently partnered with Continental Drones to deploy 12,000 Wingcopter across sub-Saharan Africa to deliver essentials.
In addition, in Malawi, where Wingcopter has been active since 2019, the company will expand its network operations by adding Wingcopter 198 drones and hubs to transport medicines to telemedicine centers.
Read more about Wingcopter:
Ian attended the University of California, Dominican University and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English in 2019. With her lifelong passion for writing and storytelling and her keen interest in technology, she is now a staff writer contributing to Drone Life.
Miriam McNabb is the Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE, Chief Executive Officer of JobForDrones, a professional drone services market, and a fascinating observer of the emerging drone industry and drone regulatory environment. She has written over 3,000 articles focusing on commercial drone spaces, is an international speaker and an industry-recognized figure. She has a degree in Miriam from the University of Chicago and she has over 20 years of experience in high-tech sales and marketing of new technologies.
For consulting or writing in the drone industry, send an email to Miriam.
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