Natilus, a U.S.-based aerospace manufacturer developing blended wing body aircraft for cargo and passenger markets, has raised $28 million in Series A financing to advance commercialization of its aircraft family, including the KONA regional freighter and the HORIZON EVO passenger program.
The round was led by Draper Associates and included strategic investors focused on aerospace, defense, and global freight logistics, including Type One Ventures, The Veterans Fund, and Flexport. Additional participants included New Vista Capital, Soma Capital, Liquid 2 VC, VU Venture Partners, and Wave FX.
The company said the new capital will support completion of manufacturing for its first full-scale KONA prototype, with a first flight expected within the next 24 months, and will also fund continued development of HORIZON EVO, a 200+ passenger aircraft targeting the narrowbody market, including the Boeing 737 MAX and Airbus A321neo. Natilus also said it has shifted from a single-deck to a dual-deck aircraft configuration, with changes to the profile and interior intended to enhance passenger experience and safety.
Natilus is positioning its blended-wing-body platform around improved aerodynamics, capacity, and efficiency, saying its aircraft cut fuel use by 30% and carbon emissions and operational costs by 50%. The company pointed to what it described as a growing gap between global aircraft demand and the combined production capacity of Boeing and Airbus, arguing the market will require a significant expansion in manufacturing over the next two decades.
The company said it has made progress on intellectual property and U.S. manufacturing planning over the past year, including a patent award for KONA’s diamond-shaped cargo bay and the initiation of a domestic site search for a first manufacturing facility. Natilus said its commercial order book stands at more than 570 aircraft, with reservations from carriers and logistics players, including SpiceJet, Nolinor Aviation, Flexport, and Ameriflight, and is valued at $24 billion.
Natilus is also highlighting defense and contested logistics use cases for an optionally piloted KONA configuration, citing its 3.8 ton payload capacity and ability to land on shorter gravel runways, with potential applications in intra-theater lift and resupply missions aligned with Agile Combat Employment concepts. The company said it has been in discussions with the U.S. Army, the U.S. Air Force, and the Department of Defense.
On certification and industrial scale-up, Natilus said it is pursuing FAA Part 23, Amendment 64 certification for KONA and is evaluating a 250,000-square-foot manufacturing site designed to produce 60 KONA aircraft per year. The company said it is targeting delivery of the first KONA later this decade and expects HORIZON EVO to enter service in the early 2030s.
As part of the announcement, Natilus added aviation executive Kory Mathews to its board. Mathews previously held senior roles at Boeing, including VP of Phantom Works and VP and Chief Engineer of Boeing Military Aircraft, and is now a senior partner at New Vista Capital.
KEY QUOTES
“The aviation market is ripe for a new aircraft manufacturing entrant. Natilus’s innovative and technology-driven approach to developing blended wing aircraft has opened the doors for air freight and passenger airlines alike to embrace these new planes.”
Tim Draper, Founding Partner, Draper Associates
“We’re not just building aircraft. We’re reshaping the future of aviation beyond the limitations of the tube-and-wing airframe to fundamentally transform how we transport goods and people. With this latest funding and newest personnel additions, we are strongly positioned to bring our family of blended-wing aircraft to market, disrupting the Boeing-Airbus duopoly and bringing much-needed innovation to the aviation industry.”
Aleksey Matyushev, Co-Founder And CEO, Natilus
