What VerdeGo Aero does

VerdeGo Aero is a privately held, venture-backed aerospace company founded in 2017 and headquartered in Daytona Beach, Florida, that develops hybrid-electric powerplants for next-generation electric aircraft. The company designs and manufactures a portfolio of three core systems spanning 185 kW to 1.5 MW: the VH-3 piston-based hybrid (185 kW, ~650 lb), the VH-4T turbine hybrid (up to 400 kW, built around a Pratt & Whitney PW200 series engine), and the higher-power VH-5 blended turbofan. Each system integrates an engine, generator/motor, power electronics, thermal management, and controls to generate electric power from Jet-A, JP-8, or sustainable aviation fuel, achieving 5-7x the energy density of batteries and enabling 400-1000% range gains over pure battery-electric architectures. Hardware is delivered alongside integration services that embed the powerplants into OEM airframe designs.

The company sells to two primary segments: U.S. defense agencies (U.S. Air Force/AFWERX, NASA, DARPA) and commercial Advanced Air Mobility OEMs (XTI Aircraft, Jaunt Air Mobility, Speedbird Compound Helicopter, Airflow). Revenue is generated through hardware sales of powerplant units, professional services for aircraft integration, government R&D contracts via the SBIR program, and licensing/technical documentation. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and follows a custom-quote, multi-year contract model. Go-to-market combines direct enterprise sales (including a dedicated Director of Government Business Development), OEM-embedded partnerships, channel partnerships with airframers, and event-driven demand generation at industry conferences.

VerdeGo Aero is led by co-founders Eric Bartsch (CEO), Dr. Pat Anderson (CTO), and Erik Lindbergh (Executive Chairman), and is backed by strategic and financial investors including RTX Ventures, DiamondStream Partners, Seyer Industries, and Avfuel. Cumulative disclosed funding is approximately $17.9 million, supplemented by over $11 million in non-dilutive SBIR contracts. The company holds CMMC Level 2 certification (October 2025) and is planning a Series B round in mid-2026 to scale toward FAA-certified high-volume production of the VH-4T-415.

Name

VerdeGo Aero

Legal name

VerdeGo Aero, Inc.

Website

https://verdegoaero.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

VerdeGo Aero designs and manufactures hybrid-electric powerplants (VH-3 185 kW, VH-4T 400 kW, VH-5 blended turbofan) that enable electric aircraft to meet range, payload, and reserve requirements, selling to U.S. defense agencies and commercial Advanced Air Mobility OEMs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hybrid-Electric Aircraft Propulsion

NAICS

Aircraft Engine and Engine Parts Manufacturing (336412), Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing (3336), Aircraft Manufacturing (336411)

SIC

Aircraft Engines & Engine Parts (3724), Aircraft Parts & Auxiliary Equipment, Nec (3728), Aircraft & Parts (3720)

akta.pro primary industry

Electric & Hybrid-Electric Propulsion (eVTOL/Regional) (IMABADAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Turbofan Engines (IMABADAA), Turboshaft Engines (IMABADAD), Engine Control, Fuel & Ignition Systems (FADEC/Accessories) (IMABADAK)

Keywords

• Hybrid-electric propulsion
• Aircraft powerplants
• Electric aviation
• Aerospace propulsion systems
• Hybrid power generation

Headquarters

HQ city

Daytona Beach

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Hybrid Powerplant Hardware Sales: One-time sale of hybrid-electric powerplant systems (VH-3, VH-4T, VH-5) to aircraft manufacturers and defense contractors. Hardware includes engine, generator, power electronics, thermal management, and control systems as integrated units.
2. Aircraft Integration Services: Professional services for integrating VerdeGo powerplants into customer aircraft. Includes engineering support, modeling, simulation, and certification assistance to accelerate development timelines.
3. Government R&D Contracts: Revenue from SBIR contracts with U.S. Air Force (AFWERX) and NASA for development and maturation of hybrid-electric powerplants. Includes Phase I, II, and III SBIR awards.
4. Technical Papers and Documentation: Technical publications demonstrating performance validation, including performance studies comparing hybrid configurations to fully electric and conventional propulsion.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

VerdeGo Aero develops and manufactures hybrid-electric powerplant systems that generate electric power for high-performance electric aircraft using liquid fuels such as Jet-A, JP-8, or sustainable aviation fuel. The product portfolio spans three core powerplants — the VH-3 185 kW piston hybrid, the VH-4T 400 kW turbine hybrid, and the VH-5 Blended Turbofan — together with aircraft integration services for airframers embedding these systems into next-generation eVTOL, HSVTOL, cargo, and defense aircraft.

Product overview

VerdeGo Aero develops and manufactures hybrid-electric powerplant solutions for aircraft electrification. The company offers a portfolio of three distinct hybrid-electric propulsion systems spanning 185 kW to 1.5 MW output range: the VH-3 185 kW (piston-powered), VH-4T 400 kW (turbine-based), and VH-5 Blended Turbofan. These powerplants work by generating electric power from liquid fuels (Jet-A, JP-8, or sustainable aviation fuel), which is then used to power electric motors for propulsion. The hybrid architecture replaces large, heavy battery packs with a more optimal powertrain, enabling aircraft to achieve longer range, higher payload capacity, and faster refueling times compared to battery-electric alternatives. The company also provides aircraft integration services to assist airframers with incorporating these powerplants into their designs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• VH-3 185 kW Piston Hybrid-Electric Powerplant Piston-powered hybrid-electric powerplant delivering 185 kW of continuous electrical power output in a 650 lb (277 kg) package with fuel efficiency of 0.37 lb/HP-hr (225 g/kW-hr). Designed for urban air mobility, regional cargo transport, and tactical defense applications; features patent-pending elements for improved efficiency, reliability, and flexibility.
• VH-4T 400 kW Turbine Hybrid-Electric Powerplant Turbine hybrid-electric powerplant providing up to 400 kW of continuous electrical power, built around a Pratt & Whitney PW206/PW207 helicopter engine. Designed for high-performance commercial and military aircraft requiring substantial onboard power for regional air taxis, cargo transporters, and large-scale military drones. Available in VH-4T-RD (375 kW, 511 lbs) R&D and VH-4T-415 (415 kW, 565 lbs) production-intent variants.
• VH-5 Blended Turbofan Powerplant Revolutionary powerplant that seamlessly switches between jet thrust and full electric power generation. Can deliver 1.5 MW electrical output or 4,000 lb thrust-class turbofan performance. Enables power blending between thrust and electric generation, supporting both military and commercial applications requiring very high cruise speed combined with electrification.
• Aircraft Integration Services Engineering services that assist aircraft manufacturers with integrating VerdeGo's hybrid-electric powerplants into next-generation aircraft. Leverages 15 years of industry experience in hybridization, thermal systems, battery management, noise mitigation, and electrical and communications interfaces to accelerate customer development timelines.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5-7X higher energy density than batteries alone
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• U.S. Air Force / AFWERXcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple SBIR contracts for hybrid powerplant development. AFWERX is the innovation arm of the U.S. Air Force. Programs have accelerated VH-3 and VH-4T maturity for military missions.
• NASAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSBIR Ignite program contracts for VH-3 and VH-4T integration in NASA aircraft designs. NASA has recognized VerdeGo's dual-use hybrid technology.
• DARPAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in SPRINT program advancing runway-independent technology through X-plane program. VerdeGo powering next-generation aircraft capabilities.
• XTI AircraftcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for hybrid-electric cargo/logistics VTOL aircraft (TriFan 200). XTI developing aircraft powered by VerdeGo's hybrid systems.
• Jaunt Air MobilitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on hybrid-electric aircraft. Jaunt selected for AFWERX HSVTOL Concept Challenge with MAV55 aircraft powered by VerdeGo.
• Speedbird Compound HelicoptercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNASA SBIR Phase II program applying VH-3 and VH-4T in novel high-speed advanced helicopter design nicknamed Speedbird.
• Röder Präzision GmbHcoreTechnology or IntegrationJoint development of SR-305-VDG aircraft engine optimized for hybrid-electric applications as part of VH-3 powerplant development.
• Continental Aerospace TechnologiescoreTechnology or IntegrationEarly partnership (2019) to pair Jet-A burning diesel engines with electric motors and batteries for future urban air mobility aircraft.
• AirflowminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership exploring hybrid-electric powertrain applications for Airflow's aircraft.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Heart Aerospace: Swedish developer of the ES-30 hybrid-electric regional aircraft. Comparable in targeting hybrid-electric regional aviation, but vertically integrated as an airframer rather than a pure propulsion supplier like VerdeGo.
• Wright Electric: Electric propulsion developer focused on single-aisle airliners, with hybrid and pure-electric architectures in development. Comparable propulsion-technology peer with overlapping commercial regional-aviation ambitions.

Direct peers

• ZeroAvia: Hydrogen-electric propulsion startup targeting 9-19 seat regional aircraft and larger applications. Competes with VerdeGo for the same AAM/regional mission space via an alternative architecture (hydrogen fuel cells vs hybrid-electric).
• MagniX: Pure-electric aviation propulsion developer (magni250, magni500) for fixed-wing aircraft and eVTOLs. Directly comparable as a propulsion-system supplier to airframers in the same AAM/electric-aviation space, though focused on battery-electric rather than hybrid.
• Ampaire: Developer of hybrid-electric propulsion systems for regional aircraft (e.g., Electric EEL). Closely comparable as a hybrid-electric propulsion supplier targeting regional air mobility with similar engine-plus-electric architecture.

Broad incumbents

• Honeywell Aerospace: Large incumbent developing hybrid-electric and fuel-cell propulsion systems (e.g., for De Havilland Canada Dash 8 and other AAM platforms). Broad incumbent with overlapping technology and customer set.
• Rolls-Royce Electrical: Aerospace propulsion giant with active hybrid-electric and small-engine programs (e.g., RR300-based hybrid APUS i-5). Competes broadly in hybrid-electric propulsion for AAM/regional applications with deeper resources.
• Pratt & Whitney (RTX): Supplier of the PW206/PW207 turboshaft engine at the heart of VerdeGo's VH-4T, and parent of Series A lead RTX Ventures. A potential supplier, strategic backer, and competitor as P&W develops its own hybrid-electric propulsion concepts.
• Safran Propulsion & Power: Major aerospace propulsion OEM developing ENGINeUS electric motors and hybrid-electric systems for AAM/UAM and regional aviation. Broad incumbent with overlapping hybrid-electric propulsion programs and customer base.

Others

• Seyer Industries: Manufacturing partner and Series A investor in VerdeGo providing production capabilities for propulsion systems. Adjacent ecosystem participant rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/verdego-aero
• Xx.com/verdegoaero

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors6 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about VerdeGo Aero