By laksh5382 
Flying taxi startup ePlane Company has raised $14 million in funding co-led by Special Invest and Antares Ventures, with continued participation from Micelio Mobility, Naval Ravikant, Java Capital, Samarth Investment Advisors, RedStart (from Naukri) and Anycut.
With this funding, ePlane is poised to become India’s largest eVTOL player.
The new capital will be critical to accelerating global regulatory certification and commercialization efforts. The funding will primarily support the development and certification of ePlane’s manned aircraft, with flight testing planned for mid-2025. In addition to expanding the company’s technical capabilities, the investment will help enhance Eplane’s drone technology commercialization through a wholly owned subsidiary. Additionally, ePlane will enhance its state-of-the-art prototyping and testing facilities to ensure alignment with global eVTOL standards.
Professor Satya Chakraborty, Founder and CEO of ePlane, said, “We are incredibly grateful for the continued support of our investors. This funding is a major milestone for e-Plane as we work to redefine urban mobility and lead India’s eVTOL sector. Our focus on safety, sustainability and innovation will remain at the core of our strategy and this investment will enable us to bring air mobility closer to reality. With our technological advancements and our committed team, we are paving the way for the future of urban transportation.”
Vishesh Rajaram, Managing Partner of Special Invest, commented, “ePlane has demonstrated exceptional leadership and innovation in the eVTOL sector. Their commitment to solving urban mobility challenges through sustainable, tech-driven solutions is clear, and we are thrilled to continue supporting their vision. As a pioneer in this field, ePlane will have a transformative impact on reshaping urban transportation in India and beyond.”
According to news reports, the company is set to develop the first manned prototype of its e-VTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) vehicles and begin manned testing by April 2025.
In January 2022, the startup announced it had raised $5 million in pre-Series A funding led by deep-tech venture capitalist Special Invest and clean mobility fund Micelio.