SkyDrive Raises ¥8.3 Billion in Pre-Series D Funding

SkyDrive Secures ¥8.3 Billion in Pre-Series D Funding from Suzuki, JR East, JR Kyushu, and Others
– Strategic Partnerships with Railway Companies to Accelerate Next-Generation Mobility Services –
TOYOTA, Japan, July 4, 2025 – SkyDrive Inc. (‘SkyDrive’), a leading eVTOL (*1) aircraft manufacturer based in Japan, today announced that it has raised ¥8.3 billion in Pre-Series D funding through a third-party allotment. This funding round was led by MUFG Bank, Ltd. (‘MUFG’), with investments from Suzuki Motor Corporation (‘Suzuki’), East Japan Railway Company (‘JR East’), Kyushu Railway Company (‘JR Kyushu’), and seven other companies. With this latest round, SkyDrive’s cumulative funding now exceeds ¥43 billion.


New Investors
● Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu)
● East Japan Railway Company (JR East)
● UNIVANCE CORPORATION

Returning Investors
● ITOCHU Technology Ventures, Inc.
● Obayashi Corporation
● The Kansai Electric Power Company, Incorporated
● SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION
● SuMi TRUST Innovation Investment LPS
● TOYODA IRON WORKS CO., LTD.
● NHK SPRING CO., LTD.
● MUFG Bank, Ltd.

Background and Purpose of Fundraising
SkyDrive, founded in 2018, is working to fulfil its mission of “taking the lead in the once-in-a-century mobility revolution” and its vision of creating a future in which the general public, in Japan and around the world, use eVTOLs to meet their daily mobility needs. The company has been actively working to obtain type certification, a critical step toward the commercialization of eVTOL. In February 2025, Japan’s Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) issued a G-1 certification basis for the SKYDRIVE SD-05, SkyDrive’s lightweight, 3-seater eVTOL aircraft (*2).

Currently, SkyDrive is advancing its certification plans and coordinating with JCAB on the specifics of upcoming tests and their timelines. Following an agreement on the certification plan, SkyDrive will conduct extensive ground and flight tests in line with the agreed plans. The new funding will be used to strengthen the development team, enhance testing infrastructure, improve operational readiness, and accelerate activities related to certification and development.

Strategic Alliances with Railway Companies
Following on from partnerships with Osaka Metro Co., Ltd. and Kintetsu Group Holdings Co., Ltd., SkyDrive is delighted to welcome JR East and JR Kyushu as strategic equity partners in this new funding round. SkyDrive now maintains capital and business alliances with a total of four railway companies. Integrating SkyDrive’s eVTOL capabilities into existing networks operated by these partner companies will create seamless mobility solutions that effectively combine overland and air travel. These collaborations will also focus on the establishment of air routes and the development of vertiports, as well as public relations efforts designed to boost public support for widespread eVTOL use of eVTOL.