SkyDrive Raises Funding from Resona Asset Management Ahead of Planned 2028 Commercial Launch
Why It MattersPublic-equity investors backing pre-IPO eVTOL developers signals deepening institutional confidence in Japan's advanced air mobility sector as certification and production timelines near.
SkyDrive Inc., a Japan-based compact eVTOL aircraft developer headquartered in Toyota City, has secured new funding through a third-party share allotment to Resona Asset Management Co. Ltd., a major Japanese asset manager specializing in public equities. The investment is described as a crossover investment, in which an institutional public-equity investor backs a pre-IPO private company, and is intended to strengthen SkyDrive's business foundation as it works toward a planned commercial service launch in 2028 through type certification, mass-production capability building, and sustainable enterprise value.
The fundraising comes amid growing momentum in Japan's eVTOL sector, following the Cabinet's July 2026 approval of the Japan Growth Strategy, which identifies aviation and space as priority areas for new industrial infrastructure and globally competitive innovation, with public and private sectors accelerating eVTOL adoption.
Hiroki Iura, chief fund manager of the asset management department at Resona Asset Management, said the financial sector must provide risk capital to solve societal challenges, noting that Japan faces a shortage of long-term funding that leaves companies near their IPOs vulnerable, and expressed strong belief in SkyDrive's vision and long-term commitment. Tomohiro Fukuzawa, founder and CEO of SkyDrive Inc., said the company was honored to receive the investment and that the team is fully committed to advancing safe aircraft development and driving public acceptance of eVTOLs ahead of the 2028 commercial launch.
