Swedish hybrid-electric aeroplane maker Heart Aerospace is scrapping its Swedish operations and relocating to the US, axing 75 roles. Backed by Bill Gates, Heart Aerospace is in the race to build a viable electric aircraft for commercial use.
It is developing a 30-seat hybrid-electric powered regional aircraft, the ES-30. Heart Aerospace, founded in 2018, employs around 75 people in Sweden. A spokesperson for Heart Aerospace confirmed that the roles will no longer exist.
Heart Aerospace said the move to Los Angeles would boost product development and speed up development of the ES-30. Anders Forslund, co-founder and CEO of Heart Aerospace, said: “Our move to Los Angeles marks a new chapter in Heart Aerospace’s journey—one that prioritizes iterative development and deeper vertical integration.”
He added: “As our customers, partners, and investors are increasingly based in the US, we see greater opportunity in focusing our resources here.
“By consolidating our operations in Los Angeles, we can accelerate development, strengthen collaboration, and better position Heart Aerospace for the future."
According to Flight Global, Heart Aerospace already axed 72 roles in February last year, after a major design change to the ES-30.
The Swedish startup, which is based in Save airport near Gothenburg, announced last year that it planned to conduct flight tests of electric prototypes in New York.
Last year, Heart Aerospace raised $107 million in Series B funding, bringing the company’s total financing to $145 million.
Other investors include Air Canada, Gates’ Breakthrough Energy Ventures, European Innovation Council Fund, EQT Ventures, Lower Carbon Capital, Norrsken VC, United Airlines, and Y Combinator.
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