Company:Heart Aerospace

From HandWiki
Heart Aerospace AB
TypePrivate
IndustryAerospace Engineering, Aviation
Founded2018; 8 years ago (2018) in Gothenburg, Sweden
Founder
  • Anders Forslund
  • Klara Forslund
HeadquartersLos Angeles, United States
Key people
Number of employees
126[2] (2023)
Websiteheartaerospace.com

Heart Aerospace AB is an American aerospace manufacturer based in Los Angeles, California.

Heart Aerospace was founded in 2018 by Anders and Klara Forslund in Gothenburg, Sweden.[3] In 2024, the company maintained headquarters in Gothenburg and a research and development facility in California.[4] By 2025, the company had moved the headquarters and all operations to Los Angeles.[5][6]

History

Heart Aerospace was established in Gothenburg, Sweden, in 2018 by Anders and Klara Forslund, originally as a government-sponsored project.[2][7] They first set up operations at Säve Airport near Gothenburg.[8]

The company participated in the 2019 Y Combinator's Winter Batch and subsequently unveiled their design for the ES-19 all‑electric regional aircraft.[9] In January 2022, Heart Aerospace conducted a successful test flight with a one-fifth-scale model of it's ES-19 airplane.[10] Then, in September 2022, the company changed direction and unveiled the ES-30, which was a slightly larger hybrid-electric powered regional airliner.[11][12] They also announced an industry advisory board with members representing airlines, leasing companies, and airports.[8] In 2024, Heart Aerospace unveiled the Heart X1, its first full-scale demonstrator aircraft, as a development tool for the ES30.[13] They also announced plans for their first test flight at Plattsburgh International Airport followed by the X2 prototype.[14] In September 2024, Heart Aerospace filed two EU design applications and one patent application for their integrated nacelle design.[15][4] That same year, they were also awarded a FAST grant from the Federal Aviation Administration for the design of hybrid engine control systems.[16][17]

In May 2024, Heart Aerospace announced the establishment of a new research and development hub in Los Angeles focusing on their hybrid-electric propulsion system,[18][4] and the Forslunds moved there to oversee operations.[19] The company subsequently closed their Swedish operations in 2025 and moved their headquarters to Los Angeles.[5][6]

Order summary

Date Customer Orders Options Notes
13 July 2021 United Airlines 100 50 Originally ordered ES-19, later reconfirmed for ES-30[20][21]
13 July 2021 Mesa Airlines 100 50 Originally ordered ES-19, later reconfirmed for ES-30[20][21]
15 September 2022 Air Canada 30 – [21]
10 May 2023 Rockton 20 20 Aircraft leasing company[22]
Totals 250 120

The company also has letters of intent (non-firm orders) for a further 191 airplanes from Braathens Regional Airlines, Loganair, Icelandair, JSX, Scandinavian Airlines, Sounds Air, and Sevenair Air Services.[23]

Aircraft

Heart Aerospace founder and CEO Anders Forslund showcases a cutaway rendering of the ES-30 hybrid-electric regional aircraft and its propulsion system in 2024.

Heart Aerospace’s first design, the ES-19, was unveiled in 2020 following their participation in the 2019 Y Combinator's Winter Batch.[9] The ES‑19 was a 19‑seat, all‑electric regional aircraft concept designed for short-haul routes of approximately 400 kilometres (250 mi).[24] In June 2022, the company changed their application to a heavier weight category and EASA CS-25 certification which would not require an exemption from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency for being overweight.[25][26] This design was then superseded in September 2022 by the ES-30.[11][12]

The ES-30 is a 30-seat hybrid-electric powered regional airliner, designed for enhanced sustainability and efficiency on short-haul routes. It is projected to have an electric-only range of 200 kilometres (110 nautical miles) and a hybrid-electric range of 400 km (220 nmi), significantly reducing carbon dioxide emissions compared to conventional aircraft on similar routes. With a reduced passenger load of 25, a range of 800 km (430 nmi) may be achievable.[27] Development of the ES 30 is partially funded by a FAST grant from the Federal Aviation Administration.[16][17] The company aims to achieve type certification for the ES-30 by the end of the 2020s.[13]

Ground crew conducts a turnaround test of Heart Aerospace’s X1 prototype, loading baggage and preparing the aircraft for simulated flight in September 2024.

In 2024, Heart Aerospace unveiled its first full-scale demonstrator aircraft, the Heart X1 (Heart Experimental 1). The X1's maiden flight, powered solely by electricity, was anticipated in the second quarter of 2025.[13] This has not happened as of the third quarter of 2025.

Following the X1 program, Heart Aerospace plans to construct a pre-production prototype, the Heart X2. The X2 will incorporate design refinements based on the X1's operational experience and will feature the company’s hybrid propulsion system, which is slated for a hybrid-electric flight demonstration in 2026.[27][13]

Financing

In the spring of 2019, after participating in Y Combinator, Heart Aerospace raised US$2.1 million in seed funding led by EQT Ventures, the Norrsken Foundation, and Chris Sacca’s Lowercarbon Capital.[2][8] By March 2021, the company documented interest in their concept airplane, the ES 19, from Finnair, the Nordic Network for Electric Aviation, and airlines in New Zealand, Canada, the US, and the UK.[28]

The company secured $35 million in Series A funding in July 2021, led by Bill Gates' Breakthrough Energy Ventures, United Airlines Ventures, and Mesa Air Group, with participation from existing seed investors EQT Ventures and Lowercarbon Capital.[29] At that time, United Airlines Ventures and Mesa Air Group also announced an order of up to 200 ES-19 planes.[30]

In September 2022, Air Canada and Saab each invested $5 million in Heart Aerospace. Concurrently, Air Canada placed a purchase order for 30 ES-30 aircraft. Prior orders for the ES-19 from United and Mesa Air Group were converted to the ES-30.[31] The company also confirmed letters of intent and orders from Nordic operators like SAS AB, Braathens Regional Aviation, Icelandair, up to 40 planes for Rockton Sustainable Aviation, and an order from Sounds Air in New Zealand.[31][32] By the end of 2022, Heart Aerospace had secured 230 orders for the ES-30.[8][33]

In February 2024, Heart Aerospace raised a total of $107 million in Series B funding, increasing its total capital raised to $145 million.[5][34] Investors included the European Innovation Council Fund and Sagitta Ventures, a Danish early-stage investment firm, as well as some returning investors like Air Canada, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, EQT Ventures, Lowercarbon Capital, Norrsken VC, United Airlines, and Y Combinator.[34][35][36]

In 2024, the Federal Aviation Administration selected Heart Aerospace to receive a $4.1 million FAST grant to support the design of hybrid engine control systems.[16][17]

Heart Aerospace raised $40 million from an existing investor in the spring of 2025.[5][19] By the fall of 2025, the company had raised more than $185 million in venture funding.[1] It also had 250 orders for the ES-30, and options or purchase rights for an additional 120 planes.[8][35]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Meet Heart Aerospace". https://heartaerospace.com/about/. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Billing, Mimi (February 13, 2023). "Heart Aerospace hopes to build a plane even Greta Thunberg would fly on". Sifted. https://sifted.eu/articles/bill-gates-heart-electric-planes. 
  3. ↑ Ternby, Lovisa (27 April 2023). "”Många tyckte att vi var helgalna”". Dagens industri. https://www.di.se/hallbart-naringsliv/manga-tyckte-att-vi-var-helgalna/. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Alcock, Charles • Managing (September 13, 2024). "Heart Rolls Out Technology Demonstrator for Hybrid-electric Airliner". Aviation International News. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/futureflight/2024-09-13/heart-rolls-out-technology-demonstrator-hybrid-electric. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 "Electric plane maker Heart Aerospace moves to US in blow to Sweden". Reuters. April 30, 2025. https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/electric-plane-maker-heart-aerospace-moves-us-blow-sweden-2025-04-30/. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Hardy, Grace (April 30, 2025). "Heart Aerospace leaves Sweden for the States". Lara News. https://www.laranews.net/heart-aerospace-leaves-sweden-for-the-states/. 
  7. ↑ Constine, Josh (19 March 2019). "The top 10 startups from Y Combinator W19 Demo Day 1" (in en-US). https://techcrunch.com/2019/03/19/best-of-y-combinator/. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 Christley, Emily (2025). "Performing legitimacy in electric aviation: The innovation journey of Heart Aerospace". Elsevier 127 (104261). https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214629625003421. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Constine, Josh; Clark, Kate; Matney, Lucas; Kumparak, Greg (March 18, 2019). "Here are the 85+ startups that launched at YC's W19 Demo Day 1". https://techcrunch.com/2019/03/18/here-are-the-85-startups-that-launched-today-at-y-combinators-w19-demo-day-1/. 
  10. ↑ Sampson, Ben (January 10, 2022). "Heart runs successful first subscale test flight for electric aircraft". Aerospace Testing International. https://www.aerospacetestinginternational.com/news/electric-hybrid/heart-runs-successful-first-subscale-test-flight-for-electric-aircraft.html. 
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Harrington, Tony (September 22, 2022). "Heart Aerospace switches its 19-seat electric aircraft to a 30-seat version with reserve-hybrid power". Green Air News. https://www.greenairnews.com/?p=3435. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Klišauskaitė, Vytė (September 15, 2022). "Heart Aerospace reveals hybrid-electric aircraft design called ES-30". AeroTime. https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/32170-heart-aerospace-reveals-new-electric-aircraft-design. 
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 "Heart Aerospace Plans To Use The X1 As An ES-30 Development Tool | Aviation Week Network". https://aviationweek.com/aerospace/aircraft-propulsion/heart-aerospace-plans-use-x1-es-30-development-tool. 
  14. ↑ Harrington, Tony (May 6, 2025). "Heart Aerospace in surprise HQ move from Sweden to Los Angeles, citing bigger US opportunities". Green Air News. https://www.greenairnews.com/?p=7240. 
  15. ↑ Sampson, Ben (September 12, 2024). "Heart Aerospace reveals full-scale demonstrator aircraft HX1". Aerospace Testing International. https://www.aerospacetestinginternational.com/news/heart-aerospace-reveals-full-scale-demonstrator-aircraft-the-hx1.html. 
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 "$4.1 million FAA grant for Heart Aerospace". Aerospace Global News. https://aerospaceglobalnews.com/news/4-1-million-faa-grant-for-heart-aerospace/. 
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 "Heart Aerospace received FAA's grant to accelerate the airline electrification". AvioRadar. 12 September 2024. https://avioradar.net/en/heart-aerospace-received-faas-grant-to-accelerate-the-airline-electrification/. 
  18. ↑ "Heart Aerospace expands with new US R&D hub and CTO appointment" (in sv). 17 May 2024. https://www.techarenan.news/2024/05/17/heart-aerospace-expands-with-new-us-r-and-d-hub-and-cto-appointment/. 
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Billing, Mimi (April 30, 2025). "Heart Aerospace ditches Europe to focus on US operation". Sifted. https://sifted.eu/articles/heart-aerospace-ditches-europe-to-focus-on-us-operation. 
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 "Heart Aerospace is one step closer to building an electric plane, closing $35M Series A round led by Breakthrough Energy Ventures, United Airlines and Mesa Air Group". Heart Aerospace (Press release). 13 July 2021. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 "Heart Aerospace unveils new airplane design, confirms Air Canada and Saab as new shareholders". Heart Aerospace (Press release). 15 September 2022. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
  22. ↑ "Swedish leasing company Rockton to buy up to 40 ES-30 airplanes from Heart Aerospace". Heart Aerospace (Press release). 10 May 2023. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
  23. ↑ "AirAsia Joins Heart Aerospace's Industry Advisory Board to Shape the Future of Air Travel". Heart Aerospace (Press release). September 12, 2024. Retrieved 2025-01-28.
  24. ↑ Alcock, Charles (September 23, 2020). "Heart Aerospace Advances Plans For ES-19 Electric Regional Airliner". Aviation International News. https://www.ainonline.com/news-article/2020-09-23/heart-aerospace-advances-plans-es-19-electric-regional-airliner. 
  25. ↑ Perry, Dominic (June 16, 2022). "Heart switches ES-19 certification to CS-25 category to meet US requirements". Flight Global. https://www.flightglobal.com/aerospace/heart-switches-es-19-certification-to-cs-25-category-to-meet-us-requirements/149018.article. 
  26. ↑ Alcock, Charles (June 21, 2022). "Heart Switches to CS-25 Certification Plan for ES-19 Electric Regional Airliner". Aviation International News. https://www.ainonline.com/news-article/2022-06-21/heart-switches-cs-25-certification-plan-es-19-electric-regional-airliner. 
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 Perry, Dominic (2024-05-15). "Heart reveals ES-30 redesign as it switches to off-the-shelf hybrid powertrain" (in en). https://www.flightglobal.com/air-transport/heart-reveals-es-30-redesign-as-it-switches-to-off-the-shelf-hybrid-powertrain/158291.article. 
  28. ↑ Surgenor, Christopher (March 29, 2021). "Finnair commits to electric domestic flight with interest in Heart Aerospace’s 19-seat all-electric aircraft". Green Air News. https://www.greenairnews.com/?p=824. 
  29. ↑ Alamalhodaei, Aria (13 July 2021). "Heart Aerospace raises $35M Series A, lands order with United and Mesa Airlines for 200 aircraft" (in en-US). https://techcrunch.com/2021/07/13/heart-aerospace-raises-35m-series-a-lands-order-with-united-and-mesa-airlines-for-200-aircraft/. 
  30. ↑ Lambert, Fred (July 14, 2021). "United Air invests in electric plane startup Heart Aerospace, agrees to buy up to 200 electric aircrafts [sic]". electrek. https://electrek.co/2021/07/14/united-air-invests-in-electric-plane-startup-heart-aerospace-buy-200-electric-aircraft/. 
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 Lindeberg, Rafaela (September 15, 2022). "Electric Airliner a Step Closer as Heart Unveils 30-Seat Model". Bloomberg. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-09-15/electric-airliner-a-step-closer-as-heart-unveils-30-seat-model. 
  32. ↑ Lambert, Fred (September 16, 2022). "Heart Aerospace unveils new electric aircraft; Air Canada invests and orders 30 planes". electrek. https://electrek.co/2022/09/16/air-canada-invests-heart-aerospace-orders-updated-versions-electric-airplane/. 
  33. ↑ Lindeberg, Rafaela; Nicola, Stefan (October 11, 2022). "A New Silicon Valley Emerges at the Arctic Circle". Bloomberg. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-10-11/sweden-becomes-electric-car-battery-and-green-tech-hub. 
  34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 Billing, Mimi (February 1, 2024). "Bill Gates-backed electric plane startup Heart Aerospace flies high with $107m raise". Sifted. https://sifted.eu/articles/bill-gates-heart-aerospace-107m-news. 
  35. ↑ 35.0 35.1 Lawrence, Cate (February 1, 2024). "Sweden's Heart Aerospace secures $107M Series B for ES-30 hybrid-electric plane". Sifted. https://tech.eu/2024/02/01/sweden-s-heart-aerospace-secures-107m-series-b-for-es-30-hybrid-electric-plane/. 
  36. ↑ Perry, Dominic (2022-09-15). "Sweden’s Heart Aerospace scales up to develop 30-seat hybrid-electric ES-30" (in en). https://www.flightglobal.com/airframers/swedens-heart-aerospace-scales-up-to-develop-30-seat-hybrid-electric-es-30/150213.article. 

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